INSIDE THIS ISSUE Service and Candle Lighting ................... 2 President’s Message.................................. 3 The Legacy Society ................................... 4 March of The Living.................................. 5 Social Action .............................................. 6 L’Shana Tova/Shabbat Mornings ............ 7 Q&A/CBS Staff........................................... 8 CBS Connections...................................... 9 B’nai Mitzvah ............................................ 10 Youth/Young Family Programming….11 School ........................................................ 12 Keruv ......................................................... 13 CBS University......................................... 14 Sukkah Celebration & Dinner ............. 15 Sisterhood........................................... 16-17 Men’s Club ................................................ 17 The Big Babka Bake ................................ 18 Milestones ................................................. 19 Birthdays/Anniversaries ......................... 20 Yahrzeits ................................................... 21 Donations ........................................... 22-24 See What’s Happening .......................... 25 Simchat TorahTONE ............................. 28
Rabbi ................................................... Aaron Melman Cantor ..................................................Steven Stoehr Assistant Rabbi ..................................... Ari Averbach Executive Director ............................ Michael Garlin Director of Jewish Life & Learning ................................................. Leann Blue Director of Education .......................... Stacy Ybarra Ritual Director ............. Cantor Raquel P. Gershon Director of Youth & Young Family Engagement................ Matt Rissien Controller ......................................... Susan Karlinsky President .........................................Debbie Solomon Sisterhood President..........................Leatte Gelfeld Men’s Club President ................................. Dan Sher USY President .............................. Rebecca Jacobson
Rabbi Emeritus .......................................Carl Wolkin Executive Director Emeritus .................................... Harvey Gold, FSA z’l Director of Education Emeritus ................... Rabbi Sander J. Mussman, RJE SHALOM INFO Shalom is published monthly by Congregation Beth Shalom, 3433 Walters, Northbrook, Illinois 60062-3298 for the exclusive use of its members and staff. All material contained herein is the property of Congregation Beth Shalom.
SEPTEMBER 2018 • VOLUME 64 ISSUE 34
SEPTEMBER 2018 • VOLUME 64 ISSUE 34
RABBI AVERBACH’S REVELATIONS Rabbi Averbach
When my wife Vanessa began teaching at an inner-city charter school near LAX, they asked her to help coordinate a program called Students Run LA. The mission of Students Run LA is to challenge at-risk high school students to experience the benefits of goal-setting, character development, adult mentoring and improved health through a life-changing experience. This is not only for physical fitness – the students spend extra time at school, feeling connected to the teachers and each other. It creates a “cando” attitude amongst the students, and helps them attain other long-term goals. With this group, they start small, learning how to run and breathe properly, then up to a 5k, 10k, and eventually a half marathon before the big 26.2 miles. Vanessa had never been a runner, but she was ready for the challenge. Over the course of her training, she found a passion – both with the students and within herself. During her time there, she ran four LA marathons, followed by half marathons in San Francisco (hills!), Jerusalem (cobblestones!), Tel Aviv (extreme heat), and Chicago. I might be forgetting a few. The trick to a marathon, or even a 5k, is the training. In a few days, we will be embarking on a marathon of our own. The services for the high holidays are not sprints – they are long and arduous and we often get lost along the way. There
are so many words, so many melodies, so much repetition, many of us feel lost. With all the standing and sitting and bowing and moments of silence, we are sometimes just playing catch-up, asking others what page we’re supposed to be on. I wonder if we can change it a bit this year. We all want to be on the same page, but sometimes the service moves too fast for us to keep up, or too slow and we are not connecting to certain liturgical prayers. This year we give you permission to go at your own pace. If you’re standing when everyone else is sitting, don’t be self-conscious. Keep doing what you need to do. If a poem or prayer or side note is keeping your attention, you don’t have to turn the page just because we call the next page. Our Mahzor is filled with beautiful poetry, inspiring midrashim, perplexing pieces of mysticism. Peruse the book – find something that helps you connect to the community, to your family, to your inner self. Or, if you are more comfortable with it, bring something else to read that is on topic that will help you through this marathon. And, if you want some guidance along the way, you know you can always find the right moment to ask us!