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Shir Chadash Newsletter
December 28, 2023 - January 3, 2024
16 Tevet - 22 Tevet 5784
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Security Reminder: Please be aware that due to security concerns, we are, for the time being, implementing a new security protocol in which we will require Photo ID from non-members or unfamiliar faces joining us for services. We hope you understand and still decide to join us in prayer as we observe and celebrate Shabbat. | |
Health Reminder: With the return of Winter, also comes the return of rising numbers of Covid, flu, and RSV in our community. If you are feeling ill, please consider staying home and participating in services online to protect those around you, especially the more susceptible members of our Congregation. | |
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Dear Shir Chadash community,
Last week, I offered a few suggestions about supporting Israel through charitable gifts. This week, I’ll focus my attention on a few ways you can support Israel through your purchases.
For a very wide variety of items you might enjoy, you can try the website ShopIsrael.com. There are many products you can choose from to show your support for Israel, from t-shirts and caps to coffee mugs to holiday items. And a portion of the proceeds goes to support Israel directly, so you’ll be enjoying your purchase and doing your part at the same time.
A second possibility is the Ahava line of skin care products. Created with raw materials from the Dead Sea, the company is committed to sustainable production and environmental responsibility. And yes, the products are very good, worth the higher prices charged. One item that’s caught my attention and worth looking at for gentlemen – the Age Control All-in-One Eye Serum. Do you need it? If you’re not sure, the answer is yes.
And of course, my personal favorite is Israeli wine. You can buy many varieties of Israeli wine here locally, at various price points. Just check out the many options at Kosher Cajun. And if you prefer, say, a bottle of Sabra, they have that available as well. My personal favorite is The Land by Psagot Cabernet, but feel free to choose any variety you like.
This is a good way to lift your spirits while doing your part. Of course, if you need additional help, the leadership of both Shir Chadash and of the New Orleans Jewish community, are here to assist you. Below, you will find a list of resources which can help, whether you are seeking pastoral support, an opportunity for pro-Israel advocacy, or a chance to help Israel financially. Please feel free to take advantage of these resources as fully as you like. And if you need additional help, please feel free to call us in the office.
Rabbi Scott Hoffman
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PASTORAL CARE
These are unprecedented times and we understand that some may need an extra helping hand or someone to talk to. Whether you are one of the many in our community who have friends, family, or loved ones in Israel, or you need a compassionate ear to help come to grips with this past week's events, please don't hesitate to reach out to Rabbi Hoffman at the office, 504-889-1144, or by email at rabbiscott@shirchadash.org.
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RESOURCES
We are fortunate enough to have several Jewish organizations, both local and national, that are continually updating their websites with resources that may be helpful in navigating this difficult time. Please see some below:
The Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans
The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
For those who wish to directly serve the country’s needs in Israel, these short-term volunteer opportunities are available to explore:
Jewish National Fund (four days of structured group volunteering per mission)
Volunteers for Israel (1-3 week stints of non-combat service on an IDF base)
Camp Ramah is developing Solidarity and Service trips to Israel for adults, teens, and college students - To Sign up to receive updates, fill out this form.
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The synagogues of West Esplanade, Shir Chadash, Beth Israel, Gates of Prayer, and Chabad, are joining together with a very special initiative to pray for Israel by collectively reciting the entire book of Psalms as a community each week that the Israel-Hamas war is ongoing.
Congregants are encouraged to sign up for one psalm each, which they will commit to reciting, in Hebrew or English, once weekly.
Together, with the power of our community and our faith, we can do our spiritual part to support Israel!
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JFS (Jewish Family Service) is offering free counseling to Israeli members of our Greater New Orleans community. Simply call (504) 831-8475 and ask for Michelle or email her at michelle@jfsneworleans.org. | | | |
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Dana Keren & Toby David are excited to announce the birth of their son,
"Avi" Avram Matan David - born at home on October 27, 2023 at 11:42 AM.
At birth he weighed 8 lbs, 14 oz and was 22 inches long.
His big brother, Hershel, is overflowing with love for "Hershey's baby".
Welcome to the world, Avi!
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Shir Chadash Calendar
All links have migrated to our webpage. Click here to get there!
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Friday, December 29th
6:15 pm, Shabbat Evening Services
Saturday, December 30th
9:30 am, Shabbat Morning Services, followed by Kiddush lunch sponsored by Sandy & Elliott Raisen in honor of their granddaughter, Sarah's, wedding to Justin Satzman
10 am, Babysitting
Sunday, December 31st - New Year's Eve
NO SHUL SCHOOL - WINTER BREAK
9:15 am, Minyan with Men's Club, followed by breakfast
Monday, January 1st - New Year's Day
OFFICE CLOSED
Wednesday, January 3rd
10 am, Sisterhood Class: The Bible Says...That?
Thursday, January 4th
8 am, Morning Minyan on Zoom
4:45 pm, Memorial Service for Ned Goldberg
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Friday, January 5th
6:15 pm, Shabbat Evening Services
Saturday, January 6th
9:30 am, Shabbat Morning Services, followed by Kiddush lunch sponsored by Lis & Hugo Kahn in honor of his father's Bar Mitzvah anniversary
10 am, Babysitting
Sunday, January 7th
9 am, SHUL SCHOOL
9:15 am, Minyan with Men's Club, followed by breakfast
10:30 am, Rosh Chodesh Gathering & Learning with Sisterhood
Tuesday, January 9th
7 pm, Great Jewish Novels (of the 20th Century) - email rabbiscott@shirchadash.org to RSVP
Wednesday, January 10th
10 am, Sisterhood Class: The Bible Says...That?
Thursday, January 11th
8 am, Morning Minyan on Zoom
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Shir Chadash Events & Announcements | |
CLASSES WITH RABBI HOFFMAN | |
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Great Jewish Novels
(of the 20th Century)
Once a month, Tuesdays, 7 PM
@ Rabbi Hoffman's Home
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Next Class: January 9th
"The Bread Givers"
by Anzia Yezierska
The twentieth century saw the flourishing of multiple genres of Jewish literature. Great novels were written in pre-war Europe, the newly-established state of Israel, and the first immigrant generation in the United States. Come and discuss the ways in which this literature shaped, and was shaped by, our Jewish world.
Please RSVP to Rabbi Hoffman at rabbiscott@shirchadash.org
Click here for the full 2023-2024 schedule and book list
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Lunch & Learn:
Codes of Jewish Law
With gratitude to the Nat Leon Fund
Once a month, Tuesdays, 11 AM
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Next Class: January 16th
Join Rabbi Hoffman for a one-hour session followed by a delicious catered lunch, provided free of charge thanks to the generosity of the Nat Leon Fund. We will be looking at the various codes of Jewish law and see how Jewish sources have wrestled with questions both timeless and current. You do not need to bring anything but a hunger to learn – and perhaps a hunger for lunch. Translations will be based, wherever possible, upon the materials found in www.sefaria.org.
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Sisterhood Class: The Bible Says... That?
Wednesdays. 10 AM
In-person and available on Zoom
The so-called “historical” books of the Bible – that is, Judges, Joshua, I/II Samuel, and I/II Kings are filled with exciting and colorful stories. But are these stories satirical? Are they filled with hidden messages? Are they both didactic and entertaining? Come and join us for an exploration of these books of the Bible and learn that our ancestors’ tastes were not always far removed from our own. All materials will be provided, so just come and enjoy.
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Minyan will be in the Chapel
at 9:15 am, followed by breakfast.
Zoom participation remains an option.
Everyone welcome!
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Thursday Shacharit Minyan | |
Join us at 8 am for our
virtual weekday minyan.
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Click here for the most recent
Family Newsletter
to learn more about upcoming
children's programming!
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Click here for the most recent Shul School Recap!
If you have not yet registered your child(ren) and wish to enroll them,
please do so HERE or contact
Chaviva Sands at educationdirector@shirchadash.org.
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Top 10 Reasons to Join Sisterhood! | |
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10. Sisterhood needs & values you
9. Interesting discussions & conversations
8. Opportunities to learn new skills
7. Being a part of something bigger than yourself
6. Connections to individuals around the world
5. Longest ongoing Torah study class in NOLA
4. Innovative programming
3. Increased longevity & decreased stress
2. Unmatched support system
1. Lasting friendships
For details about membership, dues payments, or contributing, please click HERE.
Information and/or questions, contact Charisse Sands at 504-231-6464 or annsandsc@aol.com (Sisterhood in subject line)
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It’s time to order your 2024 Mah Jongg cards. A portion of each card sold is donated to Shir Chadash Sisterhood. Thank you for your support!
The selling of Mah Jongg cards last year earned $365 for Shir Chadash Sisterhood.
Regular cards are $14 and large cards are $15.
To order a card, please send a check made out to:
Harriet Hillson
4839 Bissonet Dr.
Metairie, LA 70003.
The deadline for ordering cards is January 26, 2024.
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Come play Mah Jongg at Shir Chadash once a month on Sundays at 10:30 AM!
New and experienced players are welcome!
Upcoming Dates: January 28 | February 18 | March 17
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UPCOMING CLASSES & PROGRAMMING! | |
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Rosh Chodesh Gathering & Learning
Monthly, Sundays at 10:30 AM
Next Session: January 7th
Rosh Chodesh is a special time for women to gather and learn. This year Sisterhood will be studying the Girls in Trouble curriculum, a project of Alicia Jo Rabins. We will follow individual women through their stories in the Torah by engaging in studying Torah text, considering the story’s relevance to our own lives, and generating our own creative interpretations. This curriculum brings biblical women to life, demonstrating the power of these often understudied stories and highlighting the ways in which they can help us navigate our own complicated lives.
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Community Events and Announcements | |
The Marriage Box: Inspired by New Orleans-native author Corie Adjmi's own life, The Marriage Box follows Casey Cohen, a carefree 16-year-old cheerleader who gets in with the wrong crowd and is abruptly relocated from the Big Easy to the Big Apple, where she is suddenly pulled into an unfamiliar, insular world of Shabbat dinners, religious school, and marriage prospects. Adjmi will join us at the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience for an in-person author talk on January 10th at 6:30pm, sharing stories of her Southern upbringing, the culture shock of moving between two very different worlds, and how she has managed to find – and create – her own sense of Jewish meaning. This is a free, in-person event. | |
Now on exhibit at the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience, “A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, and the 4,978 Schools that Changed America” is an evocative series of black-and-white photographs by Andrew Feiler memorializing the Rosenwald schools, a network of nearly 5,000 modest schoolhouses built to educate underserved Black students in the segregated south. The project, the joint dream of a Jewish philanthropist and a Black educator, narrowed the Black-white education gap that plagued Southern and border states, strengthened Black-Jewish relations, paved the way for the civil rights movement, and helped to build a new African American middle class. | |
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Contact Us
OFFICE HOURS: Monday - Friday, 9 AM - 3 PM
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