Power of One: How can One person can make a difference!

 Sunday February 2,  at Lakeside congregation for grades 5th - Confirmation from10:00 am-12 noon we will have a Family Education Program: Power of One.  There will be 5 speakers who have made a change in the world by becoming involved in projects which they are very passionate about.  You will be able to pick 4 of the 5 speakers to hear on Sunday morning. We are privileged to have these speakers come and speak to us:

Benjamin Horwitz

Our own youth group director and congregant has been working on political campaigns for the past 2 years.  Ben has moved from local volunteer to paid political director in Wisconsin.  Ben is committed to working for Tikkun Olam whether here at Lakeside Congregation working with our students in grades 7-10 or helping to organize political campaigns here, in Washington DC or in Wisconsin.  

Gail Cutler (for Adults, 7^th and 8^th grades only)

Gail Cutler founded Rebecca’s Dream, an organization devoted to changing the face of depression. Rebecca’s Dream is named after Gail’s daughter who suffered from depression and died when she was thirty. The organization has funded an educational video about depression, a theatrical production sharing true stories of people impacted by depression and bipolar disorder, and a program that focuses on how depressive diseases affect families. Gail is a very positive woman, stating that it’s important “to count your blessings…not your losses.”

Patricia Fragen

Parents with very ill children needs lots of help - from support in the hospital to help at home with daily tasks like walking the dogs and feeding the rest of the family. Normal Moments, started by Patricia, makes it possible for these families to share time together, just like every other family. Come hear her unique story and find out why she was inspired to start Normal Moments. 

Jonny Imerman

Jonny Imerman started Imerman Angels, which connects a person fighting cancer today with someone who has beaten the same type of cancer. The relationship gives the person with cancer the opportunity to ask personal questions and receive encouragement from someone who is uniquely familiar with the situation. The survivor receives the opportunity to personally help others who are battling the disease. 

Pete Kalenik

Leave No Veteran Behind (LNVB), a non-profit organization which through college loans debt relief, community service, employment training, and job placement programs, LNVB invests in heroes who have honorably served our nation and seek to continue their service as productive citizens in their communities. Check out their Facebook page.  

Amanda Weaver  has been organizing with IIRON for approximately two years. She is responsible for organizing IIRON North which is currently organized in Evanston, Skokie, Rogers Park, West Ridge, Northbrook, and expanding into other Northshore communities.IIRON  is a charitable organization devoted to training ordinary people to create public lives, to understand, build and exercise power through collective action and to address the issues facing our families and communities. Every day, decisions are made by elected officials, government bodies and corporations that affect the lives of ordinary people. Without a clear understanding of these decisions, the power behind them, and an ability to mobilize people power, ordinary people have no chance to have their voices heard. IIRON is currently working on four issue areas: worker justice, mass incarceration reform, corporate tax accountability, and environmental issues, specifically fracking.

 

There is also a give away for all of our participants which I know you will enjoy it.  We ask all of our B'nai Mitzvah students to do 13 hours of Mitzvot and I hope that our Power of One will kick start your own personal projects.   On Sunday February 2 we will also have some of our current mitzvah project participants hosting a bake sale by Madison Jaffe-Richter as she is sending funds for park for children who were affected by the terrible shootings at the Sandy Hook school.

  

An Aspergers' Eye View of Israel Part 2

The second part of our trip included the usual sites of Yad V'shem, the Holocaust memorial, the archeological excevations at the Kotel, walking on Ben Yehudah

View from Yad V'Shem at the end of the tour

Street and buying souvenirs, visiting Tzfat and the ancient synagogues, a jeep ride in the Golan Heights.

Goat Farmers

Some unusual sites that other trips do not typically visit included a Goat farm outside of Jerusalem that makes fresh cheese, uses a wind mill for all of their energy and has a well for their water.  They put new meaning into living "off" the grid.

We also visited an IDF base which sends first responders to crisis areas in Israel and throughout the world.  They have been to Haiti and more recently to the Philippines.  They showed us the machines they take with them when they go to help people in need.

IDF 1st Responder Base 

Artist David Friedman in Tzfat

We also visited the Israeli Children's Museum which has a special exhibit where you experience everything with sound blocking headphones on and you are required to communicate with no words.  Our participants for the most part do not find it easy to read facial expressions or communicate especially without words.  It was a fascinating experience and our participants tried doubly hard to work at communicating.  We then continued up north and stayed 2 nights at Kibbutz Gonen.  We visited Tzfat and our participants enjoyed Kabalistic artist David Friedman.  They readily were able to see patterns and relate to numbers and concepts presented by the artist.  

Our last day we spent a long day touring in Jerusalem and our last stop was Har Herzl, the national cemetery. Our solider/participants once again donned their uniforms as they had at Yad V'shem.  Visiting an army cemetery with soldiers and seeing the graves of Golda Meir, Yitzhak and Leah Rabin made  a lasting impression on all of us.

Our Soldiers and Guide at Har Herzl

I think though my favorite part of the trip was on the last evening before heading to the airport.  We had a closing program where we reflected together about our trip.  Everyone went around the circle and told one another what the trip had meant. I know that I am a cryer and I was crying about 2 people into the circle.  Many participants stated that they felt part of a community for the first time.  They expressed how close they felt to one another and I can tell you that I was not the only one crying by the end of the circle.  Some participants reflected that they could have seen Israel with a "regular" Birthright but had elected to go on this trip because they knew they would feel more comfortable, enjoy themselves and be a real part of the group.

I loved every minute of the trip, ok, not the 12 hour layover when we got back to JFK airpot but I applaud all of the participants for coming on this trip.  They were forced to move out of their comfort zones at every turn and they experienced Israel for 10 days.  They became a group of friends who like any other Taglit/Birthright saw Israel with their peers and learned the lessons of Jewish history.  In the case of Shorashim Taglit Birthright Bus #287 they also had the experience of traveling, learning and touring with friends, real friends.

An Aspergers' Eye View of Israel Part 1

Neve Ilan

The statistics are the easy part: 24 Participants, 3 Israeli soldiers, 6 Madrichim, 1 Israeli tour guide, 1 Israeli Ethiopian Bus Driver and 1 Israeli medic, 10 days touring in Israel, two 11+ hour El Al airplane flights and one  wonderful and amazing experience for all of us.  On our birthright trip we visited all of the important Israel touch stones with just a few changes from other Birthright trips.  We stay  at only two different Kibbutzim first at the lovely Neve Ilan  and 2 nights up in the Galilee at Kibbutz Gonen.

Kibbutz Gonen

I think that on many birthright trips the participants become friends and bond in a significant way as they visit important historical sites in Israel.  This trip is designed to pull at your heart strings and to rejuvenate an interest not only in Israel but in Judaism.  Our participants worked very hard to learn one another's names, bond together as a group and keep up with the very busy schedule.  This trip is sponsored by Shorashim and United Synagogue and we began each day with T'fillot, services.  On our first day besides getting over our jet lag we visited Independence Hall where the state of Israel was declared by David Ben Gurion, Rabin's Square and then to a volunteer project where we picked sweet potatoes for Leket, Israel's national food bank.  That evening like other evenings we had a fun program and rested at the end of the day.

Picking sweet potatoes at Leket

Camels before the ride

Tuesday we visited the Jewish quarter of the Old City and certainly a highlight was visiting the Kotel, the western wall.  That afternoon we visited Shekel, which provides community services for people with disabilities.  Our participants appreciated not just visiting the center but meeting Israelis with Aspergers as well.  My group in particular had a very intense conversation about the struggles they have all faced having Aspergers especially interacting with peers at school or in the workplace.

Wednesday we had a wonderful day in the Darom, or South.  After the long ride We began with a visit with the Bedouins lunch and camel rides.  The food was tasty and the camel rides were fun.  We forged on to Masada and climbed to the top by the way of the Roman ramp, which is easier to climb than the snake path which is on the other side.  It was a beautiful day and we all made it up to the top and came back down by way of the cable car.

As I start preparing for Shabbat I can't believe that just yesterday I was in Jerusalem and last week celebrating Shabbat on Neve Ilan with group of extraordinary Taglit Birthright Shorashim Bus #287 participants.  After Shabbat more on our trip and the wonderful end to our trip.  Shabbat Shalom.

Masada

Not Just any Birthright Trip

We will eat falafel.

I leave to staff a Birthright trip, Sunday, December 22 for 10 days.  I love visiting Israel and taking people there for a first time experience.  This time I am on a special mission as my Birthright trip is for young adults with Aspergers. (Asperger syndrome is often considered a high functioning form of autism. It can lead to difficulty interacting socially, repeat behaviors, and clumsiness.) My middle son went on this same trip 2 years ago and had the time of his life.  Shorashim is the sponsor of this trip and has been for the past few years with different partner organizations.  The students this year as in the past are from all over the United States.  This trip is not unlike other Birthright trips, we see the same sites from Jerusalem, Tel Aviv to Safed but we don't move around as much; we have more staff and most of our time is programmed. We will eat falafel, ride camels and have a wonderful time.  I will know more in a few days and look forward to blogging my experiences.  

I find as a parent of a young Jewish adult on the spectrum and as an Educator in suburban Chicago that we don't offer many Jewish programs for this constituency. As a professional I am not proud of this fact but I do believe that in the future we will see more programs for students not on the spectrum. Even in my school every year I see more students on the spectrum who would benefit from long and short term Jewish experiences.  

I am looking forward to working with a dedicated staff and I know my group is excited and can't wait to land at Ben Gurion Airport Monday.  We will begin our journey and I know one thing for sure: it will be a memorable one.

Jonathan at the Kotel, with his Birthright Madrichim, Counselors

Not the natural order of things: A light gone out, Sammy Sommer Z'L

This is not the natural order of things, for parents to bury a child.   I was at Sammy Sommer's (Z"L) funeral with more than 1000 people as we said goodbye to Sammy and as we cried with Phyllis, Michael, David, Yael and Solly.  I was there with many Rabbis, Cantors, Educators, teachers, friends, congregants; this assembly was mighty and to behold it in person was to be in awe.  

Program booklet

Rabbi Steven Lowenstein began with a story from Rabbi Harold Kushner about a boy who was very late coming home from school.  Where was he?  He was with a friend whose brand new bicycle had broke.  His parents yelled at him and asked again what could he do to help?  He didn't know how to fix a bicycle, the boy responded, I helped him to cry.  

Inside program booklet

We were all there today to help the entire Sommer family and the circles of communities to grieve.  Phyllis and Michael are part of so many communities that in the first part of Rabbi Lowenstein's remarks which had been dictated by Phyllis, he thanked all of the different communities including:  Am Shalom Congregation and their staff, their children's schools, pre-schools, their temporary schools in Milwaukee, the hospital, the Ronald McDonald House and their camp, Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute and too many more to list here.  

Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz's voice along with the voice and guitar of Adam Kahan gave all of us comfort as they sang Ozi v'izimrat Yah, Cantor Markowicz Adonai Roi, (23rd Pslam) and Adam closed with Chazak- be Strong by Dan Nichols and Lee Friedman.  

Rabbi Pamela Mandel told us that today was not a day we wanted to ever face.  We hoped and hoped it would not come. In Rabbi Lowenstein's eulogy which was eloquent, full of tears and some giggles he told us that soon after Sam relapsed this last time that the two of them had a conversation over lunch with french fries.  Sam asked, "Who will do my funeral?"  and Rabbi Lowenstein said he would.  Sam asked if there could be fireworks and party games.  Rabbi Lowenstein said we will see what we can do.  A few weeks ago the community came together again and gave Sammy fireworks which he saw and enjoyed.  Sammy was bright, he loved bugs and animals; he loved OSRUI and most of all he loved life.  

When the pall bearers were called up for this tiny casket my tears flowed harder if that is possible.  It is not in the natural order of life to watch Sammy's favorite friends, uncles, babysitters, principal, Rabbi friends, be called to be his pall bearers.  As they came forward I was broken.

As I got back to my office after the funeral my phone, email, Facebook were all beeping and going off.   I hope this paltry effort opens a window on to my perspective of saying goodbye to Sammy.   That is one reason I wanted to write this all down.  Another reason I write down here is for my mentor,Phyllis, Ima Bima  who gently guided me to blog and to start on social media. Phyllis and Michael's own blog for Superman Samuel has drawn so many people into their inner circle.  Many people feel connected and want to continue to help this family in this sad hour. Following the story is a natural out take of their beautiful blog to Sammy, which in turn is a tribute to the entire family.  

When I heard that Sam has breathed his last breath Friday night I broke my Shabbat rule and texted Phyllis and Michael, "I have no words, Baruch Dayan Haemet, (traditional response meaning "Blessed is the true Judge")  doesn't seem right. I love you." It is cold, snowy and dark in Chicago today; a light has gone out.  

Books, Book lists and Book Group

I have a book group at Lakeside Congregation and this week before we met I updated our  list of books and discovered we have read 33 books.  We have been meeting since December 2011  and it all started when a few woman asked if we could do an evening book group.  We read Jewish books and being transparent here some of the books I have read before I recommend them and some I have just researched.  

We have appreciated most of the books and others we have come to appreciate after we have had our group discussion.  I think one of my favorite book group meetings was  The Hare with the Amber Eyes by Edmund De Waal.  The book is well written; not particularly easy to read and is a family memoir by British ceramicist Edmund De Waal who tells the story of his family the Ephrussi, once a very wealthy European Jewish banking dynasty, centered in Odessa, Vienna and Paris, and peers of the Rothschild family. The Ephrussis lost almost everything in 1938 when the Nazis "Aryanized" their property.

At this meeting we all brought a meaningful family heirloom and we saw some beautiful family objects and learned even more about one another.  We are able to share stories and get to learn about one another at all of our book groups.  We come from different backgrounds, some of us were not born in America, some of us are married, some divorced, some with children and grandchildren, some with empty nests and some with full nests. I find our groups to be a relaxing evening of talking, sharing ideas and discussing our lives through the books we have read together.  Our hosts are all gracious and gives us delicious treats and fun drinks.  

We are not the first  book group on the block but I am very proud of our duration and the dedication of our members.  I also want to give special thanks to my mentors all of them book club mavens: Rachel Kamin at NSS Beth El, Lori Sagarin at Temple Beth Israel and Rabbi Phyllis Sommer at Am Shalom.  They share their book lists,  their expertise and  their comments in person, on Goodreads and over the internet.  I can't thank them enough.  

I love books and asking everyone I know; "What is the latest book you have read?"  I love young adult books, books about Israel and even a good romance novel now and then.  Next time you see me tell me what you are reading; take a look at my Gfoodreads page and see what I am reading.  I challenged myself to read 40 books this year and I am on track to make it.  The trip to Israel will put me over the top I am sure.  What trip to Israel....read about it next week.

Lakeside Book Group List:

December 2, 2011    Books we have read so far, 12-2-11:

1.    Plot Against America: Philip Roth

2.    People of the Book: Geraldine Brooks

3.    Away: Amy Bloom

4.    Rashi’s daughters: Maggi Anton

5.    Septembers of Shiraz:  Dalia Sofer

6.    To Begin Again:  Rabbi Naomi Levy 

7.    Eli Weisel’s Rashi

8.    Day after Night: Anita Diament

9.    Girl from Foreign: Sadia Shephard (Memoir)

10. All other nights: Dara Horn

11. Invisible wall: Harry Bernstein (part of a trilogy and a Memoir)

12. The Year of Living Biblically: A.J. Jacobs

13. History of Love: Nicole Krauss

14. Pigeon and a boy: Meir Shelev

15. My Father’s Paradise: Ariel Sabar  (Memoir)

16. Stations West: Allison Amend

17. 19th Wife: David Ebershoff  

18. Mr. Rosenbloom Dreams in English by Natasha Solomon

19. The Invisible Bridge: Julie Orringer 

20. The Jew Store: Stella Suberman 

21. Drawing in the Dust: Zoe Klein  

22. Dovekeeper: Alice Hoffman

23. Love and Shame and Love: Peter Orner

24. In the Garden of the Beasts: Erik Larrsen

25. Midwife of Venice: Roberta Rich

26. Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots: Deborah Feldman  

27. 2013 Hare with the Amber Eyes: Edmund De Waal

28. Home in the Morning: Mary Glickman

29. 10,00 Lovers: Edit Ravel

30. Second Person Singular: Sayed Kashua,  

31. Wayward Moon: Janice Weiszman

       32. What we talk about when we talk about Anne Frank: Nathan Englander

       33. Sweet Dates of Basra: Jessica Jiji

      

2014

       34. 2014 My Russian Grandmother and Her American Vacuum Cleaner: A Family Memoir:  Meir Shelev

       35.  The List: Martin Fletcher

       36.  The Illusion of Separateness: Simon Van Booy

Retreat at OSRUI: Good for the Soul

Human bingo

Last weekend Lakeside and Or Shalom went on their annual Fall retreat to OSRUI with 5th and 6th graders.  (Or Shalom also had an adult retreat there at the same time).  We had 32 students, 5 Madrichim and 2 Educators and we had a wonderful time.  We started Friday night with a delicious Shabbat dinner, followed by T'filot and then a fun game of Human bingo (you would be surprised by the number of students who had been to Israel and/or could do the splits) and finished with a game of Gaga.

Felt B'samim for Havdavlah

Israeli Flag in icing and marshmallows

Gaga or Ga-ga (lit. "touch-touch") is a variant of dodgeball. The game combines dodging, striking, running and jumping with the object of hitting opponents with a ball below the knee while avoiding being hit. The game can be played by groups of individual players, teams and in one-on-one matches. The game may sometimes be referred to as "Israeli dodge-ball".

Funny Songs

Shabbat morning we had a fun Torah study and continued to learn about Israel's geography with giant maps, icing, candy and an Israel Jew-pardy game.

   There was more Gaga in the afternoon and even though it rained and we had to scuttle a few outdoor activities we had a fun weekend.

Giant Map of Israel

What I really enjoy about the weekend is talking with my students and just hanging out.  I enjoy reading young adult books and we always have time on Retreat to talk about what books everyone is reading and what movies are the hottest.  There is no substitute for eating, playing, and praying together for 48 hours to be able to get to know your students as well as  the Madrichim, counselors as well. Retreat is an opportunity to encourage our High school students both of whom are applying to be Madrichim at OSRUI this summer and give them a chance to lead all types of programs including Israeli dance, a mixer, arts and crafts, Gaga and even read Torah.   I believe it is powerful for our students to see an older boy read Torah, an older girl play games, and both Israeli dance; these are the best role models possible.  

I left early on Sunday morning to come back for Religious School.  When I left the buildings were surrounded by fog and  camp had an other worldly look.  I like to think that OSRUI is in the clouds somewhere and coming back to earth is never easy.

Soreff  Center in fog on November 3