Knead a Reason to Challah?

By Betsy Rotberg and Amy Claver

Save the date and plan to join us for a special parent-child challah making event at Gan Yeladim, the early child development center at Ezra-Habonim, the Niles Township Jewish Congregation (EHNTJC). The event takes place Sunday, February 21 from 1:00 pm. 2:30 p.m.

Share the joys of making Challah with your children and gain a renewed appreciation for the wonderful gift of Challah. The program is geared for children ages 3, 4 and 5 with their parents.

We will mix the ingredients and prepare the dough together. You will take home your dough to bake (or freeze for later.) There will also be an opportunity for adult study with Rabbi Jonathan Ginsburg while the chidlren engage in their own supervised activities.

This event is presented by the Gan Yeladim Early Childhood Learning Center at Ezra Habonim The Niles Township Jewish Congregration. The Gan offers part-and full-day early child education for children ages 2-5, in a safe, warm and welcoming Jewish environment.

Gan Yeladim will be open for visitors interested in learning about our preschool and daycare. You will have an opportunity to tour the school and talk with the Gan director about our various options for quality daycare and preschool. You can find out more about Gan Yeladim by visiting http://www.ganskokie.org/.

This event is open to the community. All are welcome. The suggested donation is $8 per family (pay at the door). RSVP's are requested by February 12 to Betsy Rotberg at betsy@ehnt.org or 847.675.4152.

Ezra-Habonim The Niles Township Congregation is located at 4500 Dempster Street in Skokie, IL.

Photo credit: Whistling in the Dark

Campiness

By Amy Claver

It is January, but imagine summer—the green grass and trees that are fully dressed. The air is warm outside. Now imagine another thing to put on your to-do list. Back to reality.

The reality is that it is time to think about summer camp. Registration for many summer programs opens in January. As your child’s social secretary, you wouldn’t want little Sofie or Finn to miss out. Thankfully, it is easily done.

Camp Ramah’s day camp in Wheeling is fabulous for school-aged children. Our son William goes to public school. We love sending him to Camp Ramah in the summers for the wonderful Jewish reinforcement and enrichment that the camp offers, in addition to the great swimming, sports, and arts and crafts. With the camp’s pick up and drop off bus service included in registration, it is fun for the whole family. The bus service is door to door in Glenview where we live and centrally located at schools in Skokie, Evanston, and other areas.

Camp Ramah is holding an aptly titled Summer in January program on Sunday, January 31 at Beth El in Highland Park. This event is for alums (we’ll be there) and anyone interested in learning more about Camp Ramah.

For preschoolers, Ezra-Habonim, the Niles Township Jewish Congregation's (EHNTJC)preschool, Gan Yeladim has opened summer registration. Contact Betsy Rotberg at 847/675-4152 or betsy@ehnt.org for more information on the program or come by and see the school for yourself. The Gan will hold an open house in conjunction with the Knead a Reason to Challah family challah making event on Sunday, February 21.

Gan Yeladim means Garden of Children. Growing children Jewishly is what the Gan is all about and is an integral component to EHNTJC's role as "Your Jewish Home for Living, Learning, Loving."

January means time to fill out your summer registration forms. And while you’re at it, book Grandma and Grandpa for some grandparent-grandkids bonding time for a few days between the end of the school year and beginning of camp. Sweet dreams.

The Claver family is a member of Ezra-Habonim, the Niles Township Jewish Congregation. Daughter, Sarah, age 4 attends the Gan, and son, William, age 6 is a Gan graduate and attends Hebrew School on Saturdays.

Photo credit: Ramah Day Camp

Hanukkah Party, Parents Hidden Talents, Happy New Year

Hanukkah Party Smashing Success

I never thought of "mom's night on the town" as laughing it up at the EHNT Hanukkah party (I would have pictured a day at the spa, maybe?), but pictures don't lie! It looks like moms Deanna (3rd grader Lucca), Miram (1st graders, twins Dalia and Oren, and Gan-er Stav) and Alanna (7th graders, twins Logan and Lauren, plus college student Elissa-smiling in the lower right-hand corner) were whooping it up and enjoying the magic and humor by Randy!

Thanks to the Men's Club for once again hosting a fantastic and successful Hanukkah party. Members, potential members, kids and grandkids enjoyed the great show, listened to Rabbi Ginsburg sing Hanukkah classics (next year we should join in!), played (sometimes competitive) dreydl, ate kosher hot dogs and latkes and had an all around joyous and bright day.


Secret Talents of the Stars (aka fellow Parents)

Another treat this season was seeing Tami Glassberg (5th grader Robert) play concert violin at the Science and Arts Academy intercultural holiday show in December (they sang in English, Hebrew, French and more!). Okay, it's not an EHNT event, but watching mother and son play violin perfectly in concert with one another was fantastic. And, kvelling is never out of place!


Happy New Year...Again!

Having already celebrated, fasted, contemplated life and vowed to be a better me back in September, I felt like I had a real jump start on the "new year." But milestones like these (a decade ago many if not most of us would not have qualified to join the Parents Club!) always offer a moment to appreciate family, friends, health and all the blessings of life.

We look forward with hope to 2010, knowing that we have the power to be the change we want to see in the world, with every action, every day.

So, Happy New Year...Again!

Best Chanukah Party in the World

Free Chanukah Party This Sunday

Where can you enjoy games, Dreydl, coloring, candle lighting, a Magic Show, plus a hot dog and latke lunch? At Ezra Habonim, the Niles Township Jewish Congregration, that's where! And, if that isn't exciting enough already...It's all for FREE, thanks to the EHNTJC Men's Club.

It's this Sunday, December 13. Please come at 10 am for games, coloring and singing, enjoy Entertainment Magic by Randy at 10:45, followed by Lunch at 11:30.

Gan/Day Care Open House, too!

Have any friends looking for childcare for their pre-schoolers? Bring them along. There will be a Gan/Day Care Open House during the party, to let everyone know about the most affordable and fabulous day care/early childhood program in the area.

Start Early with Shabbat/Chanukah Dinner on Friday

Kick off Shabbat and the 8 days of Chanukah on Friday 12/11 with the Shabbat/Chanukah Dinner at 6:30 pm. The always lively and engaging Jeff and Janis will lead services with Rabbi Ginsburg. Dinner is $16 for adults and $6 for children. Advance reservations required. Call 847-675-4141.

Dinner at Ha'Shalom, 2010 Programs

Thanks to the Shoss-Bonaventuras, the Zavell's and the Gonzalez's who met at Ha'Shalom last month for the first "Adults Only" (you know what I mean, right?) Parents Club Outing. We enjoyed a delicious dinner out and a chance to socialize and share our connections to Judaism, from being inter-faith families (the first two families), to going through the conversion program and setting up a new Jewish home (the latter family). Thanks, too, to Pauline Gumin, Dr. Ross' classroom aid, who provided "Group Babysitting." We look forward to more fun outings in 2010!

Parents Night Out...This Saturday!

Hi, that's me (Deanna, Lucca's mom) and Carla (Anna and Joey's Mom) and we hope you are planning to join us this Saturday for the EHNT Parents Club "Parents Night Out" this Saturday, October 24 at HaShalom, at 2905 W. Devon. (Okay, don't be scared by the picture--we're much better in person!)

We'll meet to enjoy a meal together, perhaps a toast (it's BYOB) and good conversation, beginning at 6:30 p.m. (No specific end time, although the restaurant does close at 9 pm).

The restaurant is casual and not too pricey, and they're fine with separate checks, to make it easy for us. It is not officially kosher (sorry--I believed the Yellow Pages!) although they keep milk and meat separate. Rabbi Ginsburg has 'blessed' us as long as we keep our selections parve/vegetarian, which should be easy given the great variety and selection offered on the menu.

So, it's me and Carla, our spouses (Geno and David respectively), and Charlie and Miriam (Stav, Dalia and Oren's parents) who have RSVP's so far. Won't you join us too? Please let me know, at 773/775-3967.

p.s. If you know anyone in our group who may not have gotton the email, please share! This is great for Hebrew School Parents, or perhaps Gan or other families who are considering joining EHNT.

Halloween...Is it Jewish?

Rabbi Ginsburg has shared this article from the blog Windows and Doors by Rabbi Brad Hirshfield. While for some, the religious connection to Halloween may long be forgotton, but there's no denying the pagan origins. Read on to see what Rabbi Hirshfield has to say. What do you think? How or will your family celebrate?

Halloween 2009: Tips from a Rabbi About How To Celebrate
by Rabbi Brad Hirschfield

On October 31, children across America will don their capes and masks and go door-to-door collecting candy and treats to celebrate Halloween. But for many traditional Jewish families and even for some Christian ones, Halloween is a time of unease and discomfort. Parents may question whether or not to let their children participate in a ritual which they see as Gentile, having roots in Christian and/or Pagan culture. These tips will help families navigate this issue in ways that respect both their own religious sensibilities and their kids' desire to have fun. I know, because they work for me and my family. (read the full post at the source, here)

Eat, Pray, Love.Jewishly

by EHNTJC Parents Club Member Amy Claver

I hear a movie is in the works of Elizabeth Gilbert’s book Eat, Pray, Love: Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia with Julia Roberts as the main character. I haven’t read the book but –eating praying, loving—what’s not to like? Throw in reading and learning Hebrew and there are my new year’s resolutions.

I love the new year and its promise of new beginnings. Rosh Hashanah began on September 18 and Yom Kippur was Monday, ten days later. What better time than at the beginning of the year to take stock, reflect on your own shortcomings, forgive yourself, forgive others, and move on? I am inspired (once again) by Rabbi Ginsburg to eat Jewishly, to pray Jewishly, and to love Jewishly.

A few weeks ago I bought a pork tenderloin. I have never bought a pork tenderloin before but it was on sale, we were having guests, and it was something I could cook in my slow cooker and would be ready in the evening. When the day came, I cooked the pork tenderloin for the guests and also ran to the store and bought chicken for our dinner.

I couldn’t serve the treif/pork tenderloin and ended up throwing it away. When Rabbi Ginsburg on Rosh Hashanah asked us to consider making more of an effort to make Jewish choices when we eat, I felt like he was talking directly to me. No more pork tenderloin.

I am looking forward to reading The Israel Test by George Gilder about the remarkable achievements of Jews and Israel. I am also looking forward to learning more Hebrew. I just completed a Hebrew reading course, and a dear friend of mine recently gave me the Rosetta Stone language course for Hebrew. At my eye exam a few weeks ago, I read all of the charts backwards.

As we begin the new year 5770, I hope you too are experiencing the joy of a new beginning. As we recite on Rosh Hashanah, Help us, O God, to look forward with faith, And to learn from whatever the future may bring.

L’chaim and Shanah Tovah!

Amy and Bruce Claver have been members of EHNTJC since 2007. Their daughter, Sarah age 4 attends the Gan, and their son, William, age 6 graduated from the Gan last year. As a Roman Catholic, Amy’s education in Judaism began with meeting Bruce more than 10 years ago. According to Amy, her commitment to raising her family Jewish has been both an exciting journey and a work in progress.