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.

Fall Holiday Services and Events

A few reminders:

Hello, friends...

This is a busy time of year, with the big ones (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur) followed by several that are loads of fun with the kids: The Sukkot Walk on October 7 (it's not too far, and ends with Pizza at the Lubovitch's house--please RSVP so they know), plus Simchat Torah on October 10. I have to tell you, as someone who was raised Reform, I did not know the joys of Simchat Torah as a child, and it's great! Candy and parading with torahs, beer, pizza--do come! (and for 'newbies'--adults can bring individually wrapped candy to give to the children each time they pass you, and kids will want a bag to collect candy).

Okay, but before the candy and beer and pizza, we must repent...here's the details:

Kol Nidre begins at 7:00PM on September 27

Yom Kippur Services begin at 9:00AM on Sept. 28 and the Hebrew school aged service with Michael Rosenberg is at 10 am in the chapel (great service.) Yours truly (that would be me) is doing Hagbah at the Monday service--I've done it once before but on a regular Saturday, but now have nightmares of making 300 people fast for 40 days if I drop it. Excuse me while I go do push-ups to train!

Congregational Sukkot Dinner is October 2 at 6:30PM - Services at 8:00PM - flyer is attached

Sukkot Yontiff Services - October 3 and 4 at 9:30AM

Sukkot Walk - October 7 starting at the synagogue at 4PM

Simchat Torah October 10, Dinner (Pizza & Beer) 6:00PM & Service at 7:00PM - Hakafot/Dancing with the Torah

Special Program Sunday, October 18 - The Jews of Iraq -Dr. Reading Dallal - $10.00 includes breakfast at 10:30AM - program at 10:45PM

Save the date for October 25th as well for Sandy Finkel's concert...details to follow.

L'Shana tovah.

Deanna

Thank you! Parents Club ad in Ad Book

Thank you to the Resnik's, Davidson's, Shoss-Bonaventura's, Zavell's, and the Claver's for contributing to our Parents Club Ad in the EHNTJC Ad Book Celebrating 50Years of our Synagogue Building. It will be a great way to involve more parents. Did I miss anyone? Do you still owe me money? On the former, please let me know, we'd love to ad you and make a bigger ad (each family contributed $10), and on the latter, as long as we don't write anything down, hopefully it will be kosher to slip the money to me the first day of Hebrew School (9/9 for 3rd grade and up, and 9/12 for K-2.

With our help, the AD BOOK will bring in over $25,000 to support our synagogue and its ongoing activities. The book will be distributed on October 25 at the Dr. Sandy Finkel concert, The Life and Songs of American Jewish Singers.

p.s. Call the office at 847-675-4141 right away if you want to try to squeeze in an ad for your business or a business you frequent. 1/4 page is $40 (I took one of these out for my marketing company), 1/2 page $75 and full page $100.

Thanks to Judy Frank for her hard work as Ad Book Chairman.

Rabbi Ginsburg on Preparing for Rosh Hashanah

Good, Clean Fun!

Thanks to everyone who joined us at the Classroom Clean-up on Sunday morning! Howard Romanek made sure we were all energized with coffee, doughnuts and bagels and all helped to wash and organize toys to get ready for the new school year. From l to r: Michael Frost, Betsy Rotberg, Amy Claver, Stav, Howard Romanek, Miriam Davidson, Lucca, Bruce Claver.

And just when we thought we were having all the fun, we found ENTHUSY (EHNTJC's Youth Group) next store cleaning the Libary for the new year. Teacher Michael Rosenberg (2nd from l), plus ENTHUSY President Anna Marsala and mom/ENTHUSY Advisor Nancy Marsala (standing, r) were joined by other members for a morning of service to the synagogue.

Classroom Clean Up Tomorrow Morning

Dear EHNT Parents,

Please join us from 9:30 to 12:30 tomorrow morning at the synagogue for bagels and fun to help spruce up the classrooms before Hebrew School starts on 9/9.

Also, if we are done early, there's a great Torah Yoga class at 11 in the social hall, combining the spirituality of this week's Torah reading with the breathing and spirituality of Yoga.

Hope to see you there!