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Summer 2018 Volume 17, Issue 1 Beth Chaverim Humanistic Jewish Community What’s Happening at Beth Chaverim President: Carolyn Lewis Secretary: Steve Rusnak Past President: Deb Rusnak Treasurer: David Kantor Members At Large: Loren & Vivian Kramer, Dan Lewis, Sue Pinkus, Alan Solid Upcoming Events Beth Chaverim Steering Committee Members Jewish Festival June 9, 11am-6pm Cook County Forest Preserve in Morton Grove on Oakton, west of Lehigh Soup Kitchen June 24, 1:30-4pm St. Paul Lutheran’s Church Sunday in the Park with Bagels July 8, 10-11:30am Willow Stream Park Buffalo Grove Shabbat Under the Stars August 24, 6:30pm Maplewood Park Deerfield Sunday School & Pre-K Program Resume September 9 Rosh Hashanah Services September 10, 10:30am Shepard Middle School Yom Kippur Services September 19, 10:30am Shepard Middle School Mah Nishmah A successful Feed My Starving Children event! Rabbi Jodi presented at Spertus Institute in April on Jewish Art Second Night Passover Seder Sunday School Chocolate Seder Purim Celebration
Transcript
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Summer2018 Volume17,Issue1

BethChaverimHumanisticJewishCommunity

What’sHappeningatBethChaverim

President:CarolynLewis Secretary:SteveRusnak PastPresident:DebRusnak

Treasurer:DavidKantor MembersAtLarge:Loren&VivianKramer,DanLewis,SuePinkus,AlanSolid

UpcomingEvents

BethChaverimSteeringCommitteeMembers

Jewish

Festival

June9,11am-6pm

CookCountyForest

PreserveinMortonGrove

onOakton,westofLehigh

SoupKitchenJune24,1:30-4pm

St.PaulLutheran’sChurch

Sundayin

theParkwith

Bagels

July8,10-11:30am

WillowStreamPark

BuffaloGrove

Shabbat

Underthe

Stars

August24,6:30pm

MaplewoodPark

Deerfield

Sunday

School&

Pre-K

Program

Resume

September9

Rosh

Hashanah

Services

September10,10:30am

ShepardMiddleSchool

YomKippur

Services

September19,10:30am

ShepardMiddleSchool

MahNishmah

AsuccessfulFeedMyStarvingChildrenevent!

RabbiJodipresentedatSpertus

InstituteinAprilonJewishArt

SecondNightPassoverSeder SundaySchoolChocolateSederPurimCelebration

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2Summer2018 Volume17,Issue1

TheValueAdded

BeingJewishmeansmanydifferentthingstodifferentpeople.Itisastatementofculturalaffinity

andofethnicidentification.Itisanaffirmationofbelongingtoagroupofpeoplewhohaveahistory

datingbacktoancienttimes.Itisawayofexplainingareligiousconnectionandperhapspracticeand

behavior.TheadjectiveJewishconnotesaparticularsubgroupofpeople;asHumanisticJews,identifying

withthecollectivehistoricexperienceoftheJewishpeoplemakesoneJewish.Itisbothabirthrightanda

choice.Itisbothparticularisticbyidentificationandyetuniversalisticinpractice.Yet,thereisalwaysa

tensionbetweentheparticularisticandsomemaysaytribal,andtheuniversalistic.Ashumanists,the

lattergetstheemphasis;asJews,itistheformer.Sowhatisthevalueaddedbydescribingthingsas

Jewish?WhatdowemeanbyJewishart,Jewishfood,Jewishmusic,andJewishliterature?Isn’tthere

simplyart,food,musicandliterature?ItgetsmorecomplicatedaswedescribeJewishvalues.By

definition,valuesshouldbeallencompassingandareindeedhumanvalues.Whyaddthemodifier

Jewish?

TheanswerliesinthatnotionofthecollectivehistoricexperienceoftheJewishpeople.Jews

inventedJudaism!Whateverformittakestodayiswhatweasthenextgenerationdirectittotake.We

arefreetofashionaJudaismthatismeaningfulandrelevanttooursecularlives.Wecanbefreefromlegal

stricturesthatmakenosensetotheliveswelead;andwecanbecreativeinhowwecelebrateand

understandJudaism.TheJewishpeoplearethefamilyfromwhichwehavecomeinboththeshortterm

withimmediaterelatives,andthelongtermwithancestorsthathavecomefromadispersedpopulation.

Weareauniquebranchandshouldrevelintheresilienceofourvastlyextendedfamily.TheJewishfamily

treehasbeennurturedforcenturiesandhasgrownfromtheinclusionofotherculturesthrough

assimilationandwelcomingpeoplefromothertraditions.Wereitanyotherway,thistreewouldhave

witheredawaylongago.Instead,itisahumantreethathasstrongrootswithroomtogrowfroman

expansivebasewithfar-reachingbranches.AddingthewordJewishtoanyendeavor,accomplishment,or

narrativeremindsusofthetraditionfromwhichwehavecome.Wearenotbeholdentothattraditionbut

neithercanweignoreit.Itisembeddedinwhoweareaswemoveforwardwithbothappreciationand

transformationofit.Whenweseeotherpeoplewhoarepartofourfamilyaccomplishingthings,wecan

shareinacollectivepride.Ontheflipside,whenweseepeoplewhoareJewishbehavingshamefully,we

revilethemandseektodisassociateourselvesfromtheircommonidentity.

ThereisvalueaddedbyaddingthemodifierJewish.Itoffersacommondenominator;itisa

descriptorofsharedvocabulary;andithelpsmarkourplaceinthelongtraditionfromwhichwehave

come.Thesecondhumanisticmodifieralsoaddsvaluebyraisingtheuniversalistictoaplaceofequal

status.Wearehumanistic,caringforourcommunityandrepairingourworld.Let’snotfailtorecognize

thevalueofouridentity;itistooprecious.

B’shalom,

Rabbi Jodi

BethChaverimMissionStatement

BethChaverimisaplaceforindividualsandfamiliestoexploretheirJewishheritageand

traditions,tolearntothinkcriticallyandindependentlyaboutreligiousandtheological

issues,andtodevelopmeaningfulandrelevantJewishidentitiesthrougheducation.

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3Summer2018 Volume17,Issue1

Happiness

WhenIwaspregnantwithMarlee,ouryoungestofthree,weweresearchingfortherightJewishhome

forourfamily.WehadnotyetfoundtherightfitforourfamilyafterLora,ouroldest,wasborn,or

thenagainafterourson,Parker,wasborn.AstrokeofgoodluckbroughtustoRabbiJodiandtoBeth

ChaverimHumanisticJewishCommunity.Sincethattime,wehavesharedlifecycleevents,watched

ourchildrengrowthroughtheSundayschoolprogram,giventoandlearnedfromthecommunity,

enjoyedleadershipandexperiencesforgrowth,andbuiltlastingrelationships.Fastforward(toofast,

inmyopinion!)nineyearstonow,andasIthinkaboutwhatBethChaverimhasgivenandmeantto

me,Icansumitupononeword:Happiness.

Happinessisdefinedasacombinationofhowsatisfiedyouarewithyourlifeandhowgoodyoufeelon

adaytodaybasis.Wehavethepowertotakecontrolofourhappinessbychoosingourthoughts,

behaviors,andactions.Basedontheirownresearch,Happify(www.happify.com)tellsusthatthere

are5skillsthatincreasehappiness.

Savoring:Thepracticeofbeingmindful,noticingthegoodthingsinyourlife,andtakingtheextratime

toprolongyourenjoymentofeverydaymoments.

Thanking:Theactofidentifyingandthenappreciatingthethingspeopledoforus.

Aspiring:Feelingsofhopefulness,purpose,andoptimism;believingthatyourgoalsarewithinreachin

ordertopromoteasenseofmeaningandpurposeinlife.

Giving:Beingabletoshareoutofkindnessinordertomakesomeonefeelgood,whilepossibly

unintentionallyreapingthefeelgoodbenefitsyourself.

Empathizing:Theabilitytocareaboutothersandtoimagineandunderstandthethoughts,behaviors

orideasofothers,includingthosedifferentfromourselves.It’stheideaofputtingyourselfinsomeone

else’sshoesandimaginingwhathisorherexperiencesmightfeellike.

AsthenewpresidentofBethChaverim,IwillsavorthemomentsIsharewithyou.Iwillbethankful

fortheexperiencestogetherandrelationshipswecreateandstrengthen.Iwillaspiretobemotivated

andtoworktogetheroncommongoals.Iwillgiveofmyselftomyfamily,BethChaverim,andtothe

largercommunity.Iwillchallengemyselftoempathizewithmyfamily,ourhumanisticcommunity,and

theworldaroundme.

Eachandeveryday,IwillcontinuetostrengthenmyownhappinessbecauseasRalphWaldoEmerson

oncesaid,“Foreveryminuteyouareangryyoulosesixtysecondsofhappiness.”

Carolyn Lewis, President

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4Summer2018 Volume17,Issue1

What’sHappeningatBethChaverimMahNishmah

TodahRabah

means“thankyouverymuch”

MarchPADSdonors:theGrantfamily,theGusis

family,theKantorfamily,theLewisfamily,the

Shorefamily,theSolidfamily,theTaormina

familyandGabiLatulippefordeliveringthefood.

AprilPADSdonors:theCheskinfamily,theEzell

family,theGrantfamily,theHornfamily,the

Kantorfamily,theLewisfamily,theShorefamily,

theSolidfamily,theTaorminafamilyandLinda

andRichHornformakingthemealand

deliveringthefood.

NancyFreedkinformakingthedoughand

bakinghamantashenwithourSundaySchool

students,andJodiandJuanHernandezfor

makingthedoughforOrecchidiAman(Haman’s

Ears)forourstudentsaspartofourPurim

celebration

PamDaviesforsubstituteteachingourpre-K

class

JodiandJuanHernandezformakingfalafelfor

ourSundaySchoolstudents

MazelTov

EthanMatlinonhisgraduationfromPomonaCollege

GabiLatulippeonhergraduationfromStevensonHigh

School;shewillattendMiamiUniversityinOhiointhe

fall

EmilyMaxonhergraduationfromStevensonHigh

School;shewillattendTheOhioStateUniversityinthe

fall

GordyBabaonhisgraduationfromStevensonHigh

School;hewillattendDePaulUniversityinthefall

RabbiJodiontheengagementofherdaughterEmma

Donations

LindaandRichHorninmemoryofJeffreyKestler

HairbyInesInc.

VivianandLorenKramer

DickandDonnaStraussinmemoryofRuth

Werth

DickandDonnaStraussinmemoryofDavid

Grossman

AaronLazarinmemoryofDavidKornfeld

StandingOnOneFoot

(Judaisminroughly140Characters)

“Weareheretomakeadifference,tomendthefracturesoftheworld,adayatatime,anactatatime,foraslongas

ittakestomakeitaplaceofjusticeandcompassionwherethelonelyarenotalone,thepoornotwithouthelp;where

thecryofthevulnerableisheededandthosewhoarewrongedareheard”-RabbiJonathanSacks

TheBabaFamily

NancyandStuartBabinder

TheCraneFamily

EvanGoodman

SuzanneNewman

LarryRivkin

DebbieandLaneShore

AlanSolid

BobStrauss

AbtElectronics

Barnaby’sofNorthbrook

BestSalonandSpa

ChicagoBagel&BialyII

ClaimCompany

CoraLeeCandies

CourtyardbyMarriott

HighlandPark

DoverStraits

EggHarborCafé

FiveGuys

FourPointsbySheraton

HiltonChicago/Northbrook

IlFornoDeerfield

Johnny’sKitchenandTap

KohlChildren’sMuseum

LifelineTheatre

Mariano’sNorthbrook

Mariano’sNorthfield

McAlister’s

MetropolisPerformingArtsCentre

NorthlightTheatre

Olsky’sJewelers

RegalTheatres

RightBankSalon

RonofJapan

Rosati’sDeerfield

Rosebud

RotiMediterraneanGrill

ShakouRestaurants

TheSheddAquarium

Spritzology

Superdawg

SwansonBlossomShop

SzechwanKingdom

UBSpaNails

TodahRabahtooure-auctiondonors

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5Summer2018 Volume17,Issue1

YomHaShoahatNorthernIllinoisUniversity

AspartoftheYomHaShoahcommemorationatNorthernIllinois

UniversityinDeKalb,RichHornwasthefeaturedspeaker.Accompanied

byDickStraussandLindaHorn,theytraveledtoNIU.AaronFreedkin,

Nancy’ssonandastudentatNIU,forthesecondyearinarow,organized

apoliceprotectedMemorialMarchendingwithashortoutdoorservice

locatedoutsidewherethe

memorialforthefivestudents

murderedthereseveralyearsago

islocated.Aaronsecuredalarge

roominthestudentcenterfor

Rich'spresentation.

Approximately30-40people

participatedinthemarchandapproximately75-100werepresentforRich's

presentationwhichlastedabout11/2hours.Richconsidereditanhonorfor

himselfandforhisparentswhoweresurvivorsoftheHolocaust.Richwasintroducedasfollows:"RichardHornisaG2

[secondgeneration].Rich'smother,Irene,wasbornonBodzentyn,Polandin1925.ShearrivedatAuschwitzwithher

twosisters.ShelivedinaworkcampdoingforcedlaborbeforebeingmarchedfromAuschwitz.Rich'sfather,Abraham

HornwasborninRadom,Polandin1920.HesurvivedBirkenaualongwithhistwobrothers.Hewasbuildingrunways

forGermanplanestolandasaforcedlaborer.Rich'sparentsmetinBaltimore,MD,andmarriedin1951.”

GoodDeedsDay

GoodDeedsDaywasstartedinIsraelin2007byShariArison,abusinesswomanandphilanthropist.Shesaid,“I

believethatifpeoplewillthinkgood,speakgoodanddogood,thecirclesofgoodnesswillgrowintheworld.Good

DeedsDayhasbecometheleadingdayofgivingandthisyearindividuals,schoolchildren,students,soldiersand

employeesfrommanybusinessesarejoininginfortheannualGoodDeedsDaywiththeaimofdoingagooddeed

forothers.”

Since2007,ithasgrowntoanannualeventin93countriesaroundtheworld.With

thepoweroftwoandahalfmillionpeopleparticipating,theimpactofallthegood

deedsismagnifiedexponentially.OurstudentsparticipatedinthelocalGoodDeeds

DayactivitiesonApril15duringourregularSundaySchoolhours.Puttingintoeffect

theideathatwhatwelearninSundaySchoolextendsfarbeyondthetwohourseach

Sundayandisreallyabouttheothersixdaysoftheweek,ourmorningwaswellspent.

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:Summer2018 Volume17,Issue1

JoinUsattheJewishFestival!

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7Summer2018 Volume17,Issue1

WewelcomedDavidbenGuriontoschool!IsraeliactorArielKeren

portrayedthefirstprimeministerofIsraelandansweredquestions

fromourstudentsinapressconference.ThankyoutotheCommunity

FoundationforJewishEducationforthisopportunity.

RabbiSherwinT.Wine

“Weneedtobelessethnicandmoreuniversal.AJewishpeoplewithdiverseethnicrootshastoplaceless

emphasisonnationalismandmoreemphasisontheplanetaryimportanceofJewishidentity.”

(TheJewishHumanist,1994)

JCFSBackpack&SchoolSupplyDrive

WearecollectingNEWschoolsuppliesfortheJewishChildrenandFamilyServices

annualback-to-schoolsupplydrive.Pleasedropoffcrayons,markers,glue,glue

sticks,singlecolorbackpacks,rulers,notebookpaper,spiralnotebooksandother

suppliesatRabbiJodi’shomebySunday,July29.

DavidbenGurion

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8Summer2018 Volume17,Issue1

SundayintheParkwithBagels

JoinBethChaverimandotherJewishOrganizationsforafuntourofthe

Jewishyearthroughcrafts,activitiesandofcourse,bagels!

Where

WillowStreamPark

:51OldCheckerRoad,BuffaloGrove

When

Sunday,July8from10-11:30am

BethChaverimwillbehavingatablefortheholidayofTuB’Av,thefifteenthofAv,

otherwiseknownasJewishValentine’sDay.Membersandprospectivemembersare

invitedtovisitusandmakeaveryspecialand“love-ly”project!Thereisnochargeto

participate.Pleasebesuretosharewithmembersandprospectivemembersalike!

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9Summer2018 Volume17,Issue1

AdultEducationcontinuesoverthesummeraswelearnaboutmythicaland

imaginarycharactersintheBible,andthenmovetoaconsiderationoftheBook

ofProphets.

Watchyouremailforthedates.WemeetatBarnes&NobleinDeerfield.

AdultEducation

YoucansupportBethChaverimthroughyoureverydayshoppingonAmazon!

http://smile.amazon.com/ch/32-0054139

Wearealwayslookingforfastandeasywaystosupportourcommunityandthisisoneofthem.

Makesuretosharethislinkwithfamilyandfriendsandbesuretobookmarkitforeasieraccess!

AmazonSmile-SupportOurCongregation

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10Summer2018 Volume17,Issue1

Pre-SchoolProgram2018-2019

Beth Chaverim Humanistic Jewish Community

PRE-SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR 3-4 YEAR OLDS

Learn about the Jewish holidays with stories, art projects and songs!

CLASSES WILL MEET:

Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur - September 9, 2018 Sukkot/Simchat Torah – September 30, 2018

Shabbat - October 28, 2018 Chanukah – December 2, 2018

Tu B’shevat – January 20, 2019 Purim – March 10, 2019 Passover – April 7, 2019

CHILDREN & PARENTS TOGETHER ARE WELCOME

TO JOIN OUR ALL SCHOOL CELEBRATIONS

Classes held at The Center for Enriched Living in Riverwoods, IL 10:00-11:00am

Free to members; $136 for non-members

------------------------------------------------------------ WE’D LOVE TO BE A PART OF THE BETH CHAVERIM PRE-SCHOOL PROGRAM J

Parent’s Name:______________________________________________ Child’s Name:_______________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________________________ E-mail Address:_______________________________________________

Mail a check with this form to: Beth Chaverim Humanistic Jewish Community

1457 Wilmot Road, Deerfield, IL 60015

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11Summer2018 Volume17,Issue1

ShabbatUndertheStars

HelenFrankenthalerexhibitatTheArtInstitute

RunningthroughSeptember3,2018isanexhibitionoftheprintsofHelen

Frankenthaler.TheArtInstituteofChicagopublicizestheexhibitionasfollows:

“(Frankenthaleris)oneofthemostsignificantfiguresinthedevelopmentof

Americanabstraction.Featuredingalleries124-127,theexhibitionhighlights50

worksonpaperdrawnfromthemuseum’srichholdingsofFrankenthaler’sprints,

includingnever-before-exhibitedproofs,alongwithrareandimportantloansfrom

theHelenFrankenthalerFoundationthatillustratetheartist’screativeprocessand

experimentationinprintmaking.Theexhibitioninvitesaudiencestoexplorehow

Frankenthalercontinuallypushed

boundariesinherworkand,enchantedwith

whatshecalled“theromanceofanewmedium,”developed

innovativeprintmakingtechniquesatatimewhenfewofher

contemporariesweredoingso.”

Frankenthalerwasbornin1928toGermanJewishimmigrant

parents;herfatherwasaNewYorkStateSupremeCourtjudge.

JewishWomen’sArchivesdescribeshergrowingupontheUpper

EastSidewheresheabsorbedtheprivilegedbackgroundofa

culturedandprogressiveJewishfamily.”Herworkhasbeenexhibitedaroundtheworld,includingan

importantexhibitionattheJewishMuseuminNewYorkin19:0.Shediedin2011.

IntheCommunity

JoinusforShabbatUndertheStarsonAugust24that6:30pm

MaplewoodPark,Deerfield

Sharetheeveningwithmembersofyourcommunityandinviteprospectivemembers,family,

andfriends!

Bringapicnicdinner,adesserttoshare,andyourlawnchairs.

Allarewelcome!

RSVP–847-945-:[email protected]

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12Summer2018 Volume17,Issue1

MemorialPlaqueOrderForm

SummerandtheJewishHighHolidaysarejustaroundthecornerandinordertoprepareourMemorialPlaqueforthe

upcomingholidays,wewouldliketogiveourmemberstheopportunitytopurchasenewmemorialplatesfortheir

lovedones.Theplaqueitselfisalargeacrylicpiecewithsmallclearplasticindividualnameplateswithgoldlettering.

Eachnameplateis3"X1½",has3linesofletteringandcanhavethenameofyourlovedone,dateoftheirdeathand

thenameofthefamilywhopurchasedtheplaque.Thecostpernameplateis$13:.00.Pleasesubmittheorderform

belownolaterthanAugust19thinordertohaveyournameplate(s)readyintimeforthisyear.

Beth Chaverim Memorial Plaque Order Form

(One name per plaque)

Name of Loved One:______________________________________

Date of Death: ___________________________________________

Plaque Donor: ___________________________________________

Name of Loved One: ______________________________________

Date of Death: ___________________________________________

Plaque Donor: ___________________________________________

Line 1: _________________________________________________

Line 2: _________________________________________________

Plaque Donor: ___________________________________________

$136/plaque x_____

Total Enclosed: ______

Please return this form with a check made payable to:

Beth Chaverim Humanistic Jewish Community

1457 Wilmot Road

Deerfield, IL 60015

847-945-6512

Jim H. Sample

June 21, 1919

Cindy, Dan and Jacob Sample

Sampleinscription:

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13Summer2018 Volume17,Issue1

BethChaverimBookClub

Pleasejoinusaswediscussthefollowingbooks.Watchyouremailfordatesandlocation.

InJunewewilldiscuss“TheHarewithAmberEyes:AFamily’sCenturyofArtandLoss”byEdwarddeWaal.This

memoirofdeWaal’sfamily’shistoryfollowshissearchforthenarrativeofacollectionofJapanesenetsuke.

Accordingtogoodreads.com,“TheEphrussiswereagrandbankingfamily,asrichandrespectedastheRothschilds,

who“burnedlikeacomet”innineteenth-centuryParisandViennasociety.YetbytheendofWorldWarII,almost

theonlythingremainingoftheirvastempirewasacollectionof2:4woodandivorycarvings,noneofthemlarger

thanamatchbox.TherenownedceramicistEdmunddeWaalbecamethefifthgenerationtoinheritthissmalland

exquisitecollectionofnetsuke.Entrancedbytheirbeautyandmystery,hedeterminedtotracethestoryofhis

familythroughthestoryofthecollection.Thenetsuke—drunkenmonks,almost-ripeplums,snarlingtigers—were

gatheredbyCharlesEphrussiattheheightoftheParisianrageforallthingsJapanese....InTheHarewithAmber

Eyes,EdmunddeWaalunfoldsthestoryofaremarkablefamilyandatumultuouscentury.Sweepingyetintimate,

itisahighlyoriginalmeditationonart,history,andfamily,aselegantandpreciseasthenetsukethemselves.”

InAugust,wewillconsider“Native”bySayedKashua,acollectionofhisshortessayswrittenforHaArtetz.Kashua

isanArab-IsraeliwholeftIsraeltoemigratetotheUnitedStates;henowliveswithhisfamilyinChampaign-Urbana

wherehewritesandteaches.Accordingtoamazon.com,“SayedKashuahasbeenpraisedbytheNewYork

Timesas"amasterofsubtlenuanceindealingwithbothArabandJewishsociety."AnIsraeli-Palestinianwholived

inJerusalemformostofhislife,KashuastartedwritinginHebrewwiththehopeofcreatingonestorythatboth

PalestiniansandIsraeliscouldrelateto,ratherthantwothatcannotcoexist.Hedevotedhisnovelsandhissatirical

weeklycolumnpublishedinHaaretztoexploringthecontradictionsofmodernIsraelwhilealsocapturingthe

nuancesoffamilylifeinallitstendernessandchaos.Overthelastdecade,Kashua'shumorousessayshavebeen

amongthemostwidelyreadcolumnsinIsrael.Hewritesaboutfatherhoodandmarriage,theJewish-Arabconflict,

encounterswithprejudice,hisprofessionalambitions,andhisloveofliterature.Withanintimatetonefueledby

deep-seatedapprehensionandarazor-sharpironicwit,hehasdocumentedhisownlifeaswellasthatofsocietyat

large—frominstructinghisdaughteronwhenit'sappropriatetospeakArabic(everywhere,anytime,exceptatthe

entrancetoamall)tonavigatingsecurityatBenGurionairport(inaCitroenthathe'dboughtespeciallyfor

checkpoints:"Godinheaven,whoeversawanArabdrivingaCitroen?")toopeningaFacebookaccountduringthe

ArabSpring(sothathewouldn'tmissthenextrevolution).Fromtheseeventsofhiseverydaylife,Kashuabrings

forthaseriesofbrilliant,caustic,wry,andfearlessreflectionsonsocialandculturaldynamicsasexperiencedby

someonewhostraddlestwosocieties.Amusingandsincere,Native—aselectionofhispopularcolumns—is

comprisedofunrestrained,profoundlythoughtfulpersonaldispatches.”

InSeptemberwewilldiscuss“AmericanDervish”,afirstnovelbyAyadAkhtar,afirstgenerationPakistani-

AmericanfromMilwaukee.ThecomingofagestoryisofasoninaPakistaniMuslimfamilyinthe1980’s.

Accordingtonyt.com,“AttimesMr.AkhtarseemsalsotobeputtingamodernMuslimspinonearlierstoriesof

Jewishassimilation...Mr.AkhtarisparticularlyadeptatdepictingthetensionsbetweenJewsandMuslimsinpre-

Sept.11America,andhedoesnotshyawayfrommockingthemisogynisticoranti-Semiticbeliefsamongthemore

radicalMuslims.”

ManyifnotmostofthebookswereadinourbookgroupareintheBethChaverimlibrary.Ifyouwouldliketoborrow

oneofthebooks,pleasecontactRabbiJodi.

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14Summer2018 Volume17,Issue1

TheHumanistCafé–FoodfortheMind&theAppetite

Humanistsplacetheirfaithinhumanbeings,assertthatwehavethepowerandauthorityoverourown

lives;andrelyonscienceandevidencetoexplainourworld.Inthatspirit,thewordsofastrophysicistNeil

deGrasseTysonareinstructiveandinspirational.Hereceivedthe2009IsaacAsimovScienceAwardfrom

theAmericanHumanistAssociation.Hehassaid,

“TheUniverseisundernoobligationtomakesensetoyou.”

“Wearepartofthisuniverse;weareinthisuniverse,butperhapsmoreimportantthanbothofthosefacts,

isthattheuniverseisinus.”

“Iknowofnotimeinhumanhistorywhereignorancewasbetterthanknowledge.”

“Scienceisbasicallyaninoculationagainstcharlatans.”

“Thegoodthingaboutscienceisthatit'struewhetherornotyoubelieveinit.”

IsraeliCouscousinhonorofIsraelIndependenceDay,YomHaAtzmaut

Instructions:

1. Whisk2tablespoonsoil,lemonjuice,1garlicclove,andlemon

peelinsmallbowl;setdressingaside.Heat1tablespoonoilin

heavymediumsaucepanovermediumheat.Addcouscous,

sprinklewithsalt,andsautéuntilmostofcouscousisgolden

brown,about5minutes.Add13/4cupsbroth,increaseheat,

andbringtoboil.Reduceheattomedium-low,cover,and

simmeruntilliquidisabsorbedandcouscousistender,about

10minutes,addingmorebrothbytablespoonfulsiftoodry.

2. Meanwhile,heatremaining1tablespoonoilinheavylarge

nonstickskilletoverhighheat.Addasparagus,sugarsnappeas,

greenpeas,andremaininggarlicclove.Sprinklewithsaltand

pepper;sautéuntilcrisp-tender,about3minutes.Transfer

vegetablestolargebowl.

3. Addcouscoustobowlwithvegetables.Drizzledressingover.

Addchivesandcheese;toss.Seasonwithsaltandpepper.

Ingredients:

• 4tablespoonsextra-virginoliveoil,divided

• 2tablespoonsfreshlemonjuice

• 2largegarliccloves,minced,divided

• 1/2teaspoonfinelygratedlemonpeel

• 11/3cupsIsraelicouscous(:to7ounces)

• 13/4cups(ormore)vegetablebroth

• 14ouncesslenderasparagusspears,

trimmed,cutdiagonallyinto3/4-inchpieces

(about21/2cups)

• 8ouncessugarsnappeas,trimmed,cut

diagonallyinto1/2-inchpieces(about21/2

cups)

• 1cupshelledfreshgreenpeasorfrozen,

thawed

• 1/3cupchoppedfreshchives

• 1/2cupfinelygratedParmesancheese

IsraelIndependenceDay,YomHaAtzmaut,thisyearwasApril30onthesecularcalendar;Israelwasestablishedon

May14,1948.

Serves6

Fromepicurious.com

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15Summer2018 Volume17,Issue1

MembershipQuestions?

Doyouhavequestionsaboutmembership?Contactour

membershipliaison,DebRusnak,atdfishman:[email protected].

CanYouHelp?

Wearealwayslookingforsomeassistance,

largeandsmall,forourevents.Pleaseletus

knowifyouareinterestedinhelpingwithanyof

thefollowingeventsthisyearornext:

• HelpingHandsCommittee

• E-Auction

HumanisticJudaism101

• DefinesJudaismasthecollectivehistoricexperienceoftheJewishpeopleandpromotesacommunityof

sharedJewishvalues.

• PromotesthedevelopmentsofastrongJewishidentity,especiallyforthoseJewswhocannot

intellectuallyoremotionallyembraceasupernaturalbeing,orwhoareunsureabouttheexistenceof

suchabeingandwanttoexpresstheirJudaisminanhonestandmeaningfulway.

• Emphasizesthecapacityinallhumanbeingstoimprovethemselvesandtheworldthroughlearningand

theperformanceofgooddeeds.

• Teachesthatethicalbehaviorisconductwhichenhancesthedignityofeveryindividual

• UnderstandsthatritualwithoutmeaningissimplyemptyritualandthatliberalJudaismisauthentic

Judaismwithoutapologiestothepresentornostalgicbowstothepast

BethChaverimisaffiliatedwiththeSocietyforHumanisticJudaism

DidYouKnow?

RabbiJodiKornfeldisavailabletoconductlifecycleceremoniesincludingweddings,babynamings,and

funeralsformembersandnon-members.ContactRabbiJodiforfurtherinformationat:

(847)945-6512 [email protected]

Overthepastfewyears,wehavehad

severalfamilieswithinourcommunity

thathavehadatemporarysetback,ie:a

surgery,lossofajob,familycrises,etc.

"HelpingHands"isavailabletohelpwith

theneedsofthesefamilies,either

throughdeliveringameal,ordrivingtoa

doctor'sappointmentoranyother

minorneedsafamilycoulduse.Overthe

pastseveralmonths,assistancehas

beenprovidedtoseveralmembers.If

youwouldliketobeaddedtothelistof

memberswhowillassistwhenneeded,

pleaseemailusandLaurieMatlinwill

contactyouwhentheneedarises.Thank

youtoeveryonewhohasvolunteered

already;itisgreatlyappreciated.Any

familyneedingassistancecanseekitby

contactingRabbiJodi.

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Spring2018 Volume1:,Issue4

BethChaverim

Aquarterlypublicationof

BethChaverim

HumanisticJewishCommunity

1457WilmotRoad

Deerfield,IL:0015

(847)945-:512

www.BethChaverim.net

Rabbi JodiKornfeld

Administrator LindaHorn

Editor BrookePerlman

Visitourwebsitetolearnmoreaboutus–www.BethChaverim.net

TourtheJewishcalendarthrougharts&craftsandfunactivities!Thisfree

eventwelcomesfamilieswithyoungchildren.

WillowStreamPark,BuffaloGrove,SundayJuly810-11:30am


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