SVAJ Institute of Jewish Studies Shabbat Parashat Hashavua Jed Abraham After Kiddush Sunday Class Rabbi Steve Mandel Before Shacharit, 8 AM Breakfast follows shacharit Rabbi Milton Kanter, z”l Founding Rabbi Rick Arons and David Avraham, Co-Presidents 847-674-3473 David M. Rubin, Chairman of the Board Community Announcements & Member News www.svaj.org [email protected] Mayre Press, Administrator B’ruchim Haba’im / Welcome! Refuah Sheleimah Miriam Bromberg, Caryl Heyman, and Leon Krzetowski. Parashat Mishpatim Yahrtzeit Minyan If any congregant wishes to say kaddish with an evening 27 Shevat 5776 – February 6, 2016 minyan on the occasion of a yahrzeit, please notify the office 2 weeks in advance. The Ritual Committee will be notified and will ensure that a Shacharit 9:00am minyan is in place for that evening. Next Yahrtzeit Minyan: 2/18, 7:30pm. Torah Reading: Stone – Page 416; Hertz – Page 306 Shabbat D’rashot SVAJ is excited to welcome interesting and diverse Shabbat d’rasha given by our member, Mike Koplow! perspectives each Shabbat morning for the d’rasha! Up next: 2/13 Teruma – R’ David Bigman (SIR), 2/20 Tetzave – R’ Seth Winberg, 2/27 Ki Tissa – Rosh Chodesh Kiddush sponsors are Vera & Paul Heuberger, Marianne Novak; 3/5 VaYakhel – R’ Nati Helfgot (SIR). and Lauren & David Silverman, in honor of Tammi & Bill Finestone on daughter Kyla’s engagement to Kevin. Shlock Rock is Coming! We’re thrilled to host a family concert on March 6 at 1:00pm, open to the entire community, with Shlock Rock! Tickets at Seudah Shlishit is sponsored by Marsha & Rick Arons svaj.org/event/shlock. Register today! Sponsorships available and welcome. in memory of Rick’s parents, Beatrice & Bertram Arons;

Robert Rothstein in memory of Robert’s mother, Libby Rothstein; Allan and Norma Harris Day of Jewish Study will be Sunday, Feb. 14. Sponsors include JCC Chicago and The Crown Family Center for Jewish and and Suzie & Meir Zfrani in memory of Meir’s mother, Alyah Zfrani. Studies at Northwestern Univ. Sessions will be held in Northbrook and Chicago and all sessions are free and open to the public. Contact Andrea Mincha 4:50pm; Havdalah 5:55pm Maremont, 773-975-8375 or [email protected] to register. Week of February 7th Upcoming Scholar-in-Residence Weekends Sunday - 9:00am 2/13 R’ David Bigman, Rosh Yeshivat Ma’ale Gilboa (w/Davar) Monday/Thursday - 7:00am 3/5 R’ Nati Helfgot, Rav of Cong. Netivot Shalom in Teaneck, NJ (w/Davar) Tuesday/Wednesday Rosh Chodesh Adar I - 7:00am 3/19 R’ Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz of Valley Beit Midrash in Phoenix, AZ. Friday – 7:15am

Friday, February 12, 2016 Upcoming Synagogue Happenings Candle lighting 5:00pm February 9-10 Rosh Chodesh Adar I - Shacharit 7:00 AM Mincha/Maariv 5:00pm February 17 Board of Directors’ Meeting 7:45 PM February 24 Men’s Club Meeting 6:00 PM March 6 Shlock Rock Family Concert! 1:00 PM Thanks to our dedicated volunteers who help each week in setting

up, preparing and cleaning up kiddush! We'd love to broaden our list, so that the responsibility does not fall upon the same group each week. Please contact Tammi Finestone at [email protected] (or let any of the shul's officers know) if you're willing to help. Parashat Mishpatim will also host a “Shabbat Across America” dinner at the shul (3/4) with Weekly Message from the Co-Presidents Rav Nati Helfgot of Congregation Netivot Shalom in Teaneck, NJ. Friends, Details for the dinner and the entire weekend with Rav Nati, in conjunction with Davar, to follow. This Shabbat, we read of the aftermath of revelation. For weeks, the drama has intensified: slavery, plagues, miracles, With Rosh Chodesh Adar (albeit Adar I) around the corner, culminating in Divine revelation. And now, at the foot of the Purim planning is underway, too. Beginning Purim evening (3/23) mountain, we take a deep breath and realize that the journey has only and continuing throughout that weekend, the shul will be overflowing just begun. V’eleh ha’Mishpatim - “these are the laws…”. Time to with energy and activity. On Purim evening, we are delighted to our hands dirty and infuse our idealistic, lofty Sinaic ideals into a fully partner with our friends at Kol Sasson for a joint carnival in the social operational and everlasting system. hall, which will precede Megillah reading. After our respective readings (Kol Sasson will hold its reading in Israel Hall), the festivities As the Parasha goes, so goes our shul! will continue with our annual Purim dinner. We will also hold a These past few weeks, we have discussed ideals, long-term women’s reading, as we did last year, as well as a late reading. For goals, and a unique opportunity and vision for an inclusive Jewish more information, please contact Meira Goldman, Kayla Avraham or communal center in the heart of Skokie. Now, to the nitty gritty. Our Jeremy Hulkower. officers, committees, staff and volunteers have been working tirelessly That weekend (3/18-3/19), we will host Rabbi Dr. Shmuly to plan and implement regular programming reflective of our shul’s Yanklowitz, founder of the Valley Beit Midrash in Phoenix and a values. leading Orthodox rabbi and activist in North America. Rav Shmuly To that end, we are excited to keep you apprised of several will join us in exploring various facets of Jewish ethics, and lead a upcoming programs at the shul. First, next Shabbat, we are thrilled to discussion at lunch on “ethical Kashrut.” More details to follow soon. once again partner with Davar Skokie for what’s sure to be an In short, lots going on and lots more to come! Please enlightening Shabbaton with HaRav David Bigman, Rosh Yeshiva of continue to check our new-and-improved website, www.svaj.org, as Yeshivat Ma’ale Gilboa in Israel. HaRav Bigman, who studied at, we add additional programming to the shul calendar and homepage. among other institutions, the Hebrew Theological College right here in And, as always, please get involved! Our officers and committee Skokie, is a leading Modern Orthodox thinker and scholar, and has chairpersons can always use an extra hand or two. Your help and recently dedicated much time and effort toward resolving what’s participation is not only much appreciated, but also critical to the known as the “ crisis.” Among many talks throughout the continued vitality of the shul and its programming. weekend, HaRav Bigman will deliver the Shabbat morning d’rasha next Shabbat. You won’t want to miss it! Shabbat Shalom, and we’ll see you in shul! - Rick & David Next, shul will be rocking on March 6th as we host a concert with Shlock Rock! The entire community is invited to come together The Youth Department is thrilled to introduce Avital Raff as our new for a fun day of singing, dancing and enjoyment. Tickets are available Youth Coordinator! Avital will work closely with our VP Youth now on our website at www.svaj.org/event/shlock. Please sign up Education, Jenny Levin, to develop and implement programming for our today to hear some of your old favorites, including Help Me Rambam, kids. Avital has worked in SVAJ groups for the last year and, before that, We’ve Got a Strong Desire and Old Time Torah Scroll. That weekend, we developed and supervised youth programming at her shul in Cherry Hill, NJ. We are so excited to have Avital's excitement, warmth and energy!