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Photograph by:
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Weekly Community Events
Erev Shabbat Service:
Fridays at 7:00pm
Torah Study:
Saturdays at 9:00am
Shabbat Minyan and Oneg:
Saturdays at 10:00am
Ma'ariv Evening Service:
Tuesdays from 7:00-7:30pm
Religious School Tefillah:
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:15-4:30pm
Choir Rehearsal:
Thursdays at 7:45pm
Junior Choir Rehearsal:
Sundays from 10:45-11:15am
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Babysitting 9:00am-12:00pm
Drop your child off for on-site babysitting during our morning Torah Study and/or Minyan service.
Sunday January 8
Religious School Pajama and Cereal Day!
High School Program 1:30pm
Wednesday January 11
Membership Committee Meeting 12:00pm
Play Bridge! 7:00pm
Board of Directors Meeting 7:30pm
Thursday January 12
Gala Kickoff Meeting 7:00pm
Interested in volunteering for the fun and lively Gala committee? Come to this first informational session! If you can't make it to the meeting but would still like more information, please contact the Gala co-chairs,
Jeany Soshnik and
Diane Pezanoski.
Friday January 13
One Jewish Evanston Social Justice Shabbat Service at Beth Emet 6:15pm
Please note: There will not be a concurrent Erev Shabbat service at JRC.
JRC will j
oin other Evanston Jewish congregations for a special Erev Shabbat service celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. and dedicated to the voices and sounds of justice, fo
llowed by dinner and a panel discussion including our own Rabbi Weiss. Register Here
Saturday January 14
Ellie Teweles Bat Mitzvah 10:00am
The entire JRC community is invited to celebrate with
Ellie Teweles and her family as she is called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah. A special aliyah will be given to members of the JRC community.
Sunday January 15
6th-12th Grade Ski Trip:
The Grand Geneva, Lake Geneva WI
Register by Thursday, January 12
Busses will leave JRC promptly at 12:30pm and return to JRC at 9:00pm. (It's Martin Luther King weekend, so no school on Monday)
Forms: Rental Agreement and User Agreement form need to be filled out before your child can get on the bus. Forms can be found in the Religious School office or
Book Group 10:00am
Modern Hebrew Literature: Nation to Narration 3:00pm
This series surveys modern Hebrew fiction of the last 100 years.
Click here for this month's reading selections
Monday January 16
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day JRC Closed
Tuesday January 17
Exploring Shabbat Liturgy Through a Reconstructionist Lens 7:30pm
What do the words in the prayerbook mean, and why do we say them? In this multi-week class, Rabbi Rachel Weiss will guide us through our siddur, exploring what stayed in, what was taken out, why, and what's next.
Register Here
Thursday January 19
Refuat HaNefesh Support Group 7:30pm
A monthly support group for individuals with depression and bipolar disorder, as well as family and friends.
Saturday January 21
Community Shabbat 10:00am
Join our Religious School families, Shabbat Minyan members and other JRC members for a warm, lively, spiritual worship service led by Rabbi Weiss and Cantor Friedland. The service is followed by a potluck kiddush. Please bring a dairy/vegetarian and nut-free dish to share. We look forward to having you join us!
Early Childhood Shema Pajama Party 5:00pm
Parents and kids alike are invited to dress in their coziest pajamas for this fun pizza party.
High School Program 7:00pm
High schoolers are invited to engage in conversations about Jewish topics relevant to today in a relaxed, informal setting.
Sunday January 22
Teacher In-Service - No Religious School
Adult Ed: Curating an Exhibition on Americans and the Holocaust 10:00am
JRC member Daniel Greene will discuss the exhibition he is currently curating on Americans and the Holocaust for the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.
Register Here
Tuesday January 24
Exploring Shabbat Liturgy Through a Reconstructionist Lens 7:30pm
Play Bridge! 7:00pm
Friday January 27
7th and 8th Grade Potluck Dinner 6:00pm
RSVP here
Tuesday January 31
Exploring Shabbat Liturgy Through a Reconstructionist Lens 7:30pm
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Upcoming Adult Ed Classes
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Photo by: Ravi Ganapathy
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Exploring Shabbat Liturgy Through a Reconstructionist Lens
Tuesdays (January 17-February 7)
7:30pm-9:00pm
Instructor: Rabbi Rachel Weiss
What do the words in the prayerbook mean, and why do we say them? What is the structure of a Shabbat evening service? The original 1945 Reconstructionist prayerbook began as a 3-ring binder, designed to add and remove what was relevant. Liturgy can be prayer, poetry, prose and more. Rabbi Rachel Weiss will guide us through our siddur, exploring what stayed in, what was taken out, why, and what's next. No knowledge of Hebrew or liturgy required-deepen your experience of Shabbat evening services by learning the
keva (set prayers) and the
kavannah (intentions we bring to them.)
This program is a multi-week class. Dates are as follows:
January 17
January 24
January 31
February 7
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Curating an Exhibition on Americans and the Holocaust
Sunday, January 22, 2017
10:00am-11:30am
Instructor: Daniel Greene
JRC member Daniel Greene is currently curating an exhibition on Americans and the Holocaust for the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. The exhibition, opening in 2018, will examine what Americans knew about the persecution and murder of European Jews as it occurred, and it will prompt visitors to think about Americans' responsibilities to refugees and persecuted peoples abroad. Greene will discuss the plans for the exhibition and lead a discussion about the issues the exhibition seeks to raise.
JRC members no charge; non-members $6
About the instructor:
Daniel Greene is an adjunct professor of history at Northwestern University and Guest Exhibition Curator at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.
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JRC Blood Drive
February 5, 2017
9:00am-1:00pm
Giving blood can save a life and winter is a particularly important time of year to collect blood in advance of the summer when it is most needed. Come donate at JRC with LifeSource Blood Services, the largest blood center in Illinois. If you choose to donate blood at another location before the blood drive, JRC can still receive the credit for the donation. Simply use the code E102.
For more information or to reserve a donation spot, contact
Sara Cohn
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Tu B'Shvat Seder and Potluck Dinner
February 10, 2017 6:00pm
A celebration of spring and
renewal hosted by the JRC Green team. This year's theme is Taking Action to Protect the Environment. Our guest speaker is State Senator Daniel Biss who will discuss the impact of Illinois's recent Future Energy Jobs Bill and future state and local environmental measures that are more necessary than ever given the national political landscape. Leaders from The Talking Farm, Openlands, Citizen's Greener Evanston and JRC's Gardeners will also be participating to educate on environmental action. Register Here
2017 JRC Gala
April 29, 2017
Start your spring with a fresh, fun fundraiser to nurture the JRC community and help it blossom. Party with your friends and enjoy f
ood, drinks, silent and live auctions and buy-in parties all to benefit the community you love. Keep your eyes on your mailbox for an invitation soon!
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Tikkun Olam Opportunities
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Toiletry Donations
JRC student Ellie Teweles needs your help with her bat mitzvah Tzedakah project! She is collecting toiletries to give to the Night Ministry: a Chicago organization that gives aid to homeless and at risk LGBTQ youth.
Boxes will be available
in the JRC and religious school offices to collect donations, and Ellie will also be visiting classrooms to collect from students during religious school. Please bring travel sized toiletries
, feminine hygiene products and clean socks for those in need.
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Host Families Needed for Hands of Peace July 2017 Summer Program
Hands of Peace (HOP) is a unique interfaith program developing peace-building and leadership skills in American, Palestinian and Israeli teens through the power of dialogue and personal relationships. This Glenview-based non-for-profit was created in 2002 and now serves 46 teens (age 15-17) every summer.
We carefully select a group of Israeli and Palestinian teens, as well as a group of local American teens of many different faith backgrounds, to take park in this transformative experience.
We are looking for families who can host one or two teens during the 2017 summer program (July 12-July 31). It is a very rewarding experience whether you have teens at home or are empty-nesters. The HOP program creates a cohesive and dedicated group of youth committed to each other and peace in the Middle East.
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Rabbi Weiss Installation Digital Tribute Board
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Did you see your message of congratulations up on the big screen during Rabbi Weiss's Installation Celebration on December 17, 2016? See all of the heartfelt messages from well wishers and JRC congregants on the Digital Tribute Board! The tributes are posted on the JRC website at www.jrc-evanston.org/installation.
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A Purim Message from Shpeilmaster Stan Cohn
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Have you ever wanted to sing and dance your way into the hearts of JRC friends? Parody the night away in silly costumes? All while eating gefilte fish flavored hamentaschen? (OK, well, maybe not the last one.) Well then you can be part of the
Oy Vey Shpielers at JRC's annual Oy Vey Cafe! Join us to create a Purim cabaret-style production that nobody has seen before (or will want to be seen with again)! Rehearsals will start in a couple of weeks, so if you are interested in being part of our band of merry-makers, then just send an email to
Shpielmaster Stan Cohn. No singing, dancing, or acting experience is necessary. Ability to recognize a kazoo on sight is sometimes useful. Sample songs sent on request.
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Photograph by:
Ravi Ganapathy
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Name: Levi Rosing
School: Nichols
Bar Mitzvah Date: September 3, 2016
What are your hobbies/interests?
Swimming
Biking
Viola
Gaming
What is your Tzedakah project?
Raising money for the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure bike ride in Grand Rapids Michigan. I rode a metric century bike ride and raised money to cure this disease. |
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Name: Ellie Teweles
School: Latin
Bat Mitzvah Date: January 14, 2017
What are your hobbies/interests?
I love to read, climb, watch movies, play video games, draw, dance, I like politics and debates (especially people's rights), I am interested in evolution, the LGBT+ community, racism, sexism and history.
What is your Tzedakah project?
Volunteering at the Night Ministry to help prepare foods for the LGBT+ community and donating toiletries.
What's the most interesting thing you learned about Judaism?
That we also in past times were sexist, we said women can't be rabbis and can't pray and that God is a man.
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Thank You and Yasher Koach to our Installation volunteers!
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The Installation of Rabbi Rachel Weiss was a meaningful and memorable success with more than 500 people attending the ceremony and more than 300 people attending the saturday night celebration. Thank you so much to everyone who made this event possible:
Steering and Installation Committee: Robin Trilling, Sandy Spatz, Vickie Korey, Sharon Diaz, Sallie Gratch, Diane Pezanoski
Invitations and Programs: Linda Mathias Kaskel and Nina Litoff
RSVPs: Rich Katz and Nina Litoff
Childcare: Diane Pezanoski and her intrepid babysitters, Claudia Rozenberg
Saturday night decorations: Rebecca Hamlin and her able bodied assistant, Robert Bearman
Our remarkable staff for their support and work on the digital tribute board including Sharon Diaz, Jill Persin, Bonnie Stone Stern, Megan Baldeshwiler, Nina Litoff, Laura Holzinger and Terry Schnoll
Custodians Ernesto Vega, Louis LeBlanc and Roy Vega who went all out to make sure we had the room set ups and necessary supplies
Set up: Dan Israelite, Sandy Spatz, Tracy Hultgren, Andrew Segall, Beth Lange, Rich Katz, Mindy Ferber Marks, Larry Marks, Suzanne Saposnik
Greeters: Ilyssa Werstler, Alissa Chung, Rich Katz, David Kleiman, Rebecca Hamlin, David Skora
Ushers: Barbara and David Pinzur, Laurie Goldstein, Todd and Taal Hasak Lowy, Robert Lange, Bruce Kaskel
Traffic Control: Ilyssa Werstler, Dan Israelite, Sheila Nissim and Sam Cohen
Our vendors also were instrumental in our successful weekend:
David Borris and Hel's Kitchen Catering, Schaefer's Liquors, bartender Katherine Dreher, and Howard and Rick from A-Z Entertainment.
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To kvell (or shep naches) means to be proud of. This column is devoted to letting our community know about the wonderful things happening in the lives of JRC members. If you or your loved ones have something to celebrate, send an email to Nina Litoff at nlitoff@jrc-evanston.org.
Mazel Tov To:
Josh Kulp, son of Rick Kulp a
nd co-owner of Honey Butter Fried Chicken, for declaring his establishment as Chicago's first designated "Sanctuary Restaurant" -- a safe workplace for immigrants, Muslims and other communities that could be under threat in the current political climate.
Read the full story in the Chicago Tribune here.
Our 2017-18 Illinois State Scholars: Ilana Baker, Joshua Byster, Kayla Chinitz, Maple Conn, Ezekiel Edwards-Mizel, Seth Hultgren, Naomi Lichter, Celia Nicolson, Jack Nolan, Abigail Stein
Ari Ellis on becoming Bar Mitzvah in December!
Miriam Berkson, for graduating from the Diller Teen Fellowship. Diller Teen Fellows is an immersive leadership program inviting a select group of Jewish 10th and 11th graders from the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and Israel to step up, lead their communities, and repair the world through Jewish pluralism, Peoplehood and partnership.
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Welcome home from Israel!
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A message from foreign correspondent David Blechman about the first Reconstructionist Birthright Israel Trip
"Participants of the first Reconstructionist Birthright trip did not just tour Israel, but instead grappled with the complex nature of the region and it's connection to Jewish spiritual peoplehood.
Highlights included visiting an Arab Village, learning about Eritrean and Sudanese asylum seekers in South Tel Aviv, hearing from the Women of the Wall, and a lecture from Dr. Menahem Merhavy, Professor of Regional Politics at Hebrew U.
These experiences and group discussions carried over into individual conversations around meal tables, on bus rides, and in hotel hallways. In true Reconstructionist style, we laughed, sang, danced, and embraced being together as we set the standard for what a Birthright trip should be."
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Thank you for your Phonathon Donations!
This year's Phonathon was a big success and we couldn't have done it without all your help and generosity. Thank you to all of the phonathon volunteers and contributors. This year we raised over $44,000, exceeding our goal of $40,000!
Phonathon contributions help to sustain our longstanding commitment to welcoming all who wish to participate in the JRC community regardless of income, and helps grow our spiritual community with adult, family and children programming, community events, spiritual services, and connecting opportunities.
Even though 2016 is over, it's not too late to make a donation to the phonathon. Visit jrc-evanston.org/phonathon to learn more.
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Thank you for your generosity
Tzedakah is a central mitzvah of Judaism, humanizing both the donor and the recipient. JRC has established a series of tzedakah funds in response to members' interests, aiming to serve three functions:
- To support the congregation. All are welcome to membership, to worship, to our school-even those unable to pay full dues. Your contributions make this possible.
- To support important extra-budgetary activities.
- Most importantly, to provide a convenient and meaningful way for JRC members and others to fulfill the traditional obligation of tzedakah as we honor, commemorate, and express gratitude.
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