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Shir Chadash Newsletter
November 17 - November 23, 2022
23 Cheshvan - 29 Cheshvan 5783
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TIKKUN OLAM OPPORTUNITIES | |
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Shalom, Shir Chadash family!
We are so grateful for the support of the community while our mom and wife, Charisse Sands, is in the hospital receiving care for ongoing health issues. We appreciate all your calls, texts, and offers of support. At this time, we would be grateful for your help in providing meals for those of us staying at the hospital with Charisse. If you would like to contribute, please use this meal train sign up link.
Additional details: There are usually 2-3 people around for lunch and 4 for dinner. Depending on your preference, home cooked or purchased meals, money through Venmo (@miritsands), or gift cards (send to mirit.sands@gmail.com) are all welcome. If anyone has questions or wants to be in touch, please email Mirit or call/text her at 504-710-9451.
Again, we are so grateful for your prayers and hope to be home with her soon!
With gratitude,
Mark, Sara, Josh, Mirit, and Chaviva Sands
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Vanessa Cohen is an early childhood educator at the New Orleans JCC. This will be her sixth year teaching there. Vanessa was recently diagnosed with advanced colorectal cancer. She is taking at least the first semester off from teaching to undergo aggressive cancer treatment which includes radiation and chemotherapy. If you know Vanessa, then you know she is one of the most caring and loving humans on this planet. She takes an interest in every single student. Teaching young and curious minds is Vanessa's greatest love, so for her to have to take extended time off of work must have been an especially challenging decision for her. As a teacher at the JCC, Vanessa has always supported her students and their families with so much enthusiasm and warmth.
Even with health insurance, Vanessa will have many medical bills and extra expenses as a part of her treatment. FMLA will not be enough to support Vanessa with all of her routine and extra expenses. Now is our time to give back and show our support for Vanessa. Please donate if you can and please feel free to pass this on to anyone who may be willing to help.
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Shir Chadash Calendar
All links have migrated to our webpage. Click here to get there!
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Friday, November 18th
6:15 pm, Shabbat Evening Services
Saturday, November 19th - New Member Shabbat
9:30 am, Shabbat Morning Services in honor of Shir Chadash's newest members, followed by Kiddush lunch sponsored by the Membership Committee
10 am, Shul School Shabbat
6 pm, Teen/Tween Learning Havdalah
Sunday, November 20th
NO REGULARLY SCHEDULED SHUL SCHOOL
9:15 am, Minyan with Men's Club, followed by breakfast
Wednesday, November 23rd
7 am, Morning Minyan (special IN-PERSON minyan for the Yahrzeit of Elliot Finkelstein's father, Julius Finkelstein)
Thursday, November 24th - Thanksgiving Day
OFFICE CLOSED FOR THANKSGIVING
8 am, Morning Minyan on Zoom
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Friday, November 25th
OFFICE CLOSED FOR THANKSGIVING
6:15 pm, Shabbat Evening Services
Saturday, November 26th
9:30 am, Shabbat Morning Services
Sunday, November 27th
NO SHUL SCHOOL - THANKSGIVING BREAK
9:15 am, Minyan with Men's Club, followed by breakfast
Tuesday, November 29th
11 am, Lunch & Learn
Wednesday, November 30th
10 am, Sisterhood Class: The Land of Truth
Thursday, December 1st
8 am, Morning Minyan on Zoom
6 pm, YAS (Young Adults at Shir Chadash) Happy Hour at The Bulldog-Midcity
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Our Health Committee update as of August 12, 2022 is as follows:
We have seen a precipitous drop in the rate of positive tests in the New Orleans area, and we are starting to see a drop in the hospitalization rate as well. In addition, our community threat level has been reduced from "High" to "Medium." All very encouraging news!
Unfortunately, we have also learned that with the recent highly contagious variants, vaccination does not prevent infection nor the ability to transmit the virus to others. However, it does continue to help protect against serious illness, hospitalization, and death. Therefore, vaccination remains important for one's personal protection but is less essential to the community's health at large.
As a result, the Health Committee has recommended that we lift our vaccine requirement for shul entry, and the recommendation was approved by the Board on Monday, August 8th. This decision is also in keeping with current local guidelines for schools and businesses.
We do continue to encourage everyone to be vaccinated, if eligible. The CDC recommends COVID-19 primary series vaccines for everyone ages 6 months and older, a booster for everyone ages 5 years and older, and a second booster for everyone ages 50 and older. Please note that special rules apply to those who are immunocompromised. Please visit the CDC website to learn more about staying up to date with vaccination.
We also continue to encourage everyone to mask while indoors, most especially for those at risk of serious disease (e.g. those who are moderately/severely immunocompromised).
Please click HERE to read our guidelines in full.
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Shir Chadash Events & Announcements | |
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THIS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2022
We're delighted to officially welcome our new members to our Shir Chadash family. Please join us for fun, food, friendship, and festivities!
Surprise entertainment to open the special Kiddush Luncheon, sponsored by the Shir Chadash Membership Committee.
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The Torah covers are looking a bit shabby. Be part of the campaign to raise funds for new covers - 10 white ones for the high holidays, and 10 colorful ones for the rest of the year. Each cover will cost about $1500-2000. Contributions to the Fred Bronfin Torah Preservation Fund for all or part of one or more covers would be a great Chanukah gift! Naming opportunities will be available.
To be part of the committee to make this happen please contact the synagogue office or Diane Schleifstein, 504-782-5237.
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CLASSES WITH RABBI HOFFMAN
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Great Jewish Books
(of the Last Decade)
Once a month, Tuesdays, 7 PM
@ Rabbi Hoffman's Home
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Next Class: TONIGHT, November 17th
"American Judaism" (2019 Edition)
by Jonathan Sarna
Numerous Jewish books are published every year, and many are of a very high quality. But what about the most important books, those that make a deep impact on the American Jewish community? In this course, led at Rabbi Hoffman’s home (aka the parsonage) one Tuesday evening per month, we will review a book together.
Please RSVP to Rabbi Hoffman at rabbiscott@shirchadash.org
Click here for the full 2022-2023 schedule and book list
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Lunch & Learn:
One Hour Responsa
With gratitude to the Nat Leon Fund
Once a month, Tuesdays, 11 AM
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Next Class: November 29th
Join Rabbi Hoffman for a one-hour session followed by a delicious catered lunch. They will take a look at contemporary issues through the lens of Jewish sources. You don’t need to bring anything to class but yourself and your appetite – everything will be supplied to you. The course is based upon the responsa writings of Dr. David Golinkin of the Schechter Institute in Jerusalem.
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Sisterhood Class: The Land of Truth
Wednesdays. 10 AM
In-person and available on Zoom
**Please note that there will be no class this upcoming week, November 23rd**
Join us on Wednesday mornings at 10 for lively teaching and discussion with Rabbi Hoffman of Jeffrey Rubenstein's book The Land of Truth.
The Talmud has numerous stories which address everyday life. Rather than being historical in nature, these tales are didactic, intended to teach an important lesson. The question is always what lesson are the Sages trying to teach?
All materials will be provided - come join us for an exploration of Talmudic texts in translation 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 contact Chaviva Sands at educationdirector@shirchadash.org.
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Top 10 Reasons to Join Sisterhood! | |
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 2023 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 $182 for Shir Chadash Sisterhood. Let's try to reach $200 for this year!
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 13, 2023.
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Community Events and Announcements | |
Immigrant Resettlement. Touro Synagogue continues its collaboration with Home is Here NOLA (www.homeisherenola.org), an organization working with a network of community support groups such as Touro for the resettlement of asylum seekers. Volunteers provide a wide variety of support to new community members, with the ultimate goal of facilitating self-sufficiency. Touro welcomes non-Touro members for this important effort. If you are interested in volunteering or just learning more, please contact Jill Israel (jisraelnola@gmail.com). | |
Scott Hoffman
Rabbi
Executive Director
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Chaviva Sands
Director of Education & Programming
Sarah Lustig
Office Manager
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