Holiday and Special Events Abound at Congregation Or Shalom
Fall is in the air and the High Holidays are fast approaching. High Holiday services for Rosh Hashanah will be held starting on Sunday, September 13, at 8 p.m. and on Monday, September 14. On Monday, after the young children's service at 9 a.m., the traditional service will begin at 10 a.m. A family service will begin at 2 p.m. All of these will take place at the Mormon Stake Center in Buffalo Grove located at Port Clinton and Buffalo Grove Roads. Services for the second day of Rosh Hashanah will be held at Congregation Or Shalom starting at 10 a.m., on Tuesday, September 15.
Kol Nidre services begin at the Stake Center at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 22, followed by Yom Kippur day services on Wednesday, September 23. The young children's service begins at 9 a.m., followed by the traditional service at 10 a.m., and a family service at 1:30 p.m. The afternoon, healing, Yizkor and concluding service begins at 3:30 p.m. For more information, call 847-362-1948 or email orshalom@orshalomlc.org.
Erev Sukkot services, which will include anniversary and birthday blessings, will be held at the temple on Sunday, September 27, at 6:30 p.m.
An Erev Simchat Torah and consecration service will be held at the temple starting at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 4.
On Friday, October 16, a Simchat Shabbat service will include anniversary and birthday blessings, as well as a Noah's Ark-themed children's service starting at 6 p.m., with an oneg at 6:45 p.m. Adult services follow at 7:30 p.m.
Prayer services are not the only events taking place at the temple this fall. A 30-minute weekly beginning Hebrew class for adults and teens in seventh grade and older commences on Tuesday, September 29, at 6 p.m. The 11-week session is $50 for temple members and $100 for nonmembers. These classes focus on learning modern conversational Hebrew and will be taught by Hannah Whitney, a former Israeli army medic.
Any job seeker is welcome to attend the Job Search Networking Group, held at the temple. Learn to sharpen your networking skills, how to uncover resources, and learn how to better market yourself during these monthly meetings. On Wednesday, September 30, from 7 - 9 p.m., Harvey Blender will discuss how to effectively network and sell yourself during an interview. The last session of this calendar year will be held on Wednesday, October 21, and will feature Susan Gotham, who will focus on how to target companies and make sure online resumes get noticed. The initial dates planned for 2016 are January 27, February 24, March 30, April 27 and May 25. Contact Sue and Art at jobnetwork@orshalomlc.org for more information.
Do you love music from movies? An outing is being planned for the 55+ Social Club to view Hollywood's Greatest Song Hits at the Nichols Concert Hall, located at 1490 Chicago Avenue in Evanston, on Saturday, October 3, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $36 each. The group will visit the Holocaust Museum for a tour on Sunday, October 11, at 10 a.m. Non-temple members are welcome to join the group. Dues are $18 annually. For more information, contact Bill at 55plus@orshalomlc.org.
Anyone who enjoys discussing current events is welcome to join a free lively conversation led by congregants on Wednesday, October 7, at 10 a.m. in the temple library.
Sisterhood is having a Bunco Kickoff on Monday, October 19, at 7 p.m. Contact sisterhood@orshalomlc.org for more information.
For those who enjoy working with their hands and helping others, Or Shalom offers an opportunity to make quilts for adults and children who could use a little extra comfort. No sewing or quilting experience is necessary, although helpful. Quilting for Tzedakah takes place monthly on Monday mornings from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The member fee is $54 for all sessions and $68 for nonmembers. In addition to the first session on October 12, the group will meet on November 2, December 7, January 11, February 22, March 7, April 11 and May 2.
Rabbi Nina Mizrahi will teach a three-session class called "Discovering Mussar" which will examine the Jewish tradition of refining the traits of the soul. This refining is accomplished through the practices of study, chanting, meditation and journaling. The class will follow the book, Everyday Holiness, by Alan Morinis, founder of the Mussar Institute. The book may be purchased on Amazon. Classes are held on Thursday evenings from 7:15 - 8:45 p.m. on October 15, October 29 and November 12. The three sessions are $36 for members and $50 for nonmembers.
First year adult Hebrew classes for those with no Hebrew experience or those who need a refresher on the basics begins on October 29, and will be held on Tuesday evenings from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m. The classes are $100 for members for each eight-week session and $150 for nonmembers. Registration must take place by October 1.
For those with tots between 12 and 24 months old, jBaby Tots and Tunes is a perfect music class through which to experience a morning of songs, instruments and movement. Meet new people and celebrate Shabbat with a mini challah to take home. jBaby Tots and Tunes is held at Congregation Or Shalom on Fridays from 10 to 11 a.m., from October 2 to 30. These 45-minute classes are followed by nutritious snacks and schmoozing. The fee is $50 for the five-week session, with a $25 charge for each additional sibling. For more information, contact Nancy at 847-362-1948, or at ntrudell@orshalomlc.org. This program is made possible by a grant from jBaby Chicago, a Jewish United Fund program.
Located at 21 Hawthorn Parkway, in Vernon Hills, Congregation Or Shalom's mission is to meet the diverse spiritual, educational and cultural needs of its congregants and the local Jewish community and welcomes interfaith families in all facets of temple life. Watch for current events and obtain additional information at www.orshalomlc.org.