ic e YOU are invited VOLUME 52 NUMBER 4 LAKESIDE CONGREGATION FOR REFORM JUDAISM JUN 15-JUL 15 Founded in 1955 A NATE Accredited Religious School 5775

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1 our vo ic e LAKESIDE CONGREGATION FOR REFORM JUDAISM Founded in 1955 A NATE Accredited Religious School 5775 YOU are invited VOLUME 52 NUMBER 4 JUN 15-JUL 15 Lakeside s Community Room 7:00pm Lakeside s Community Room 7:00pm At the home of Karen Horwitz 10am -12pm At the home of Karen Horwitz 2pm - 4pm

2 Worship Schedule Friday, June 5 6:00pm Shabbat Service Saturday, June 6 9:30am Torah Study Beha alotcha, Numbers 8:1-12: :30am B not Mitzvah of Abby & Izzy Johnson Friday, June 12 6:00pm Shabbat Service Saturday, June 13 9:30am Torah Study sh lach, Numbers 13:1-15: :30am Shabbat Service :30pm Bat Mitzvah of Cosette Benjamin Friday, June 19 6:00pm Shabbat Service Saturday, June 20 9:30am Torah Study Korach, Numbers 16:1-18: :30am Shabbat Service Friday, June 26 6:00pm Shabbat Service at David Macknin s Home Saturday, June 27 9:30am Torah Study Chukat, Numbers 19:1-22: :30am Shabbat Service Friday, July 3 6:00pm Shabbat Service Saturday, July 4 9:30am Torah Study Balak, Numbers 22:2-25: :30am Shabbat Service Friday, July 10 6:00pm Shabbat Service at Heller Nature Center Saturday, July 11 9:30am Torah Study Pinchas & Matot, Numbers 25:10-30:1 & Numbers 30:2-32: :30am Shabbat Service Friday, July 17 6:00pm Shabbat Service Saturday, July 18 9:30am Torah Study Masei, Numbers 33:1-36: :30am Shabbat Service Friday, July 24 6:00pm Shabbat Service Offsite Saturday, July 25 9:30am Torah Study Devarim, Deuteronomy 1:1-3: :30am Shabbat Service Friday, July 31 6:00pm Shabbat Service Earth Day at Lakeside At first the parents picking up their kids from the Children s Center seemed alarmed by all the fire equipment, the flames and the heavy smoke; but then they got the real story. Lakeside observed Earth Day by conducting a controlled burn of our prairie designed to enrich the soil and enhance the longterm health and plant varietals in our natural land patch. The burn was carried out by a specialized firm in conjunction with the Highland Park Fire Department. For best results it is recommended that we undertake this activity every 3 years. Our members can expect to see the rewards of this eco-friendly action in the form of new growth and vibrant color by next summer. Page 2

3 From the Rabbi s Study If all goes well, I may be in Israel on three separate trips in the next six months. Aside from the long flights and the time away from home, I am very excited for the possibilities. JUF has its annual rabbinic mission planned, beginning with a visit to Paris to meet with the Jewish community there, express support, and hear firsthand about the issues of anti-semitism and Jewish life in France, followed by a quick trip to Israel to see and hear how our JUF money is being distributed and spent. A second trip to serve in the World Zionist Congress is possible, because I was on the list of delegates for ARZA. We are still waiting to hear the results, but if the Reform Movement did well, I might be on my way again. Finally, every 7 years, the CCAR has its convention in Israel, so I will join a group of Reform Rabbis in Israel for study and a little bit of touring. I dearly hope that all three of these opportunities materialize, because nothing fills my heart like breathing the air and feeling the electricity of Jerusalem. I have lost count of the number of trips I have taken to Israel. My first was in 1971, and my most recent was in February Before long, we still start planning our next congregational trip to Israel. I love to show the incredible diversity of people and places in Israel to members of our congregation, and I hope you will consider joining me. There is always a little danger in speaking and writing about Israel. Unfortunately, almost anything can be turned into a political statement. Even when you say, I love Israel, it is open to interpretation. That said, I love Israel. I love its people. I love the places where people of different faiths come together. I love how Reform Judaism is growing and fighting for religious pluralism in Israel. I love the natural beauty of the Mediterranean Sea and the amazing desert, and the lush green of Jerusalem, and the hills of Sefat and Haifa. All the geographical wonders of the world in a space the size of New Jersey. I love the history, the ancient world of the Bible and of Roman ruins, and modern rebirth. I love the democracy, even though I don t always like the result of an election. It is as messy as American democracy, but it is something to be proud of in a region that is too often ruled by despots. We try to take that democratic approach to speaking about Israel here at Lakeside Congregation, too. You may love all the things I love about Israel, you may not. You may get involved with one political issue or another. Try to think of differences and disagreements as rival parties in the Knesset, Israel s governing body. We agree to meet together and have a goal of creating the best programming about Israel, and helping in our own small way to make the best Israel possible. That is why over the last couple of years we have brought in speakers to teach us about the Reform Movement in Israel, from Rabbi Ellen Dreyfus in our adult enrichment program, to Alex Cicelsky from the environmentally WE HAVE A GOAL OF CREATING THE BEST PROGRAMMING ABOUT ISRAEL, AND HELPING IN OUR OWN SMALL WAY TO MAKE THE BEST ISRAEL POSSIBLE. sustainable Kibbutz Lotan to speak to our students. Mike Kaplan, to whom we owe a debt of gratitude for 5 years as our ARZA chair, has put a regular column in our Kolenu, and worked to get as many voters as possible for the WZO elections that concluded recently. We have had programs to talk about different ways to visit Israel, high school and college programs, birthright and for adults Volunteers for Israel. We have sponsored dialog sessions to allow people to come together and talk about their similarities and differences without Rabbi Isaac Serotta rancor. We have been co-sponsors of JUF events that have raised over 100,000 dollars and brought world class speakers from Israel to our community. We have also co-sponsored the Israel Solidarity Day and sent members to attend. I have spoken about Israel from the bimah with pride and hope for the future. Best of all, we had a group of 36 people visit Israel on our last Lakeside trip. All of these programs and more, have been at Lakeside in just the last two years. Looking forward, I would like to invite you to join me in an informal Israel Think-Tank. What kind of programs should we bring to Lakeside Congregation? What will help educate our members? What can help give the next generation of Jews a connection to Israel? How do we create a pluralistic view that mirrors our Lakeside community? How do we support Reform Judaism in Israel? I m sure there are many other questions to ask. Would you like to ask them with me? Please send me an , and once we have gathered a few names, we ll find a convenient time to meet, discuss and plan for the future. As you read above, I hope to have a lot of travel scheduled, but there will always be time for something like this. Let me know if you would like to be a part of it at rabbi@lakesidecongregation.org. Page 3

4 From the Cantor Cantor Michael Davis It s summer at Lakeside! Shabbat services on Fridays and Saturdays continue as usual. Torah study is an intimate gathering with spirited discussions as we work our way through the Torah. As summer begins, we move into the middle of the Book of Numbers. We feel Shabbat a little more deeply during the summer as we try to get away from the intensity of our daily routines and spend more time on refreshing our spirits and resting our bodies. At Lakeside, whenever possible, we celebrate Shabbat outdoors, usually in our garden. On those Fridays when it Don t forget to wear red, white, and blue! looks like getting to the temple could be burdensome because of that day s Ravinia performance, we have moved the service away from the temple. If you are in town, join us when you can for Shabbat services. All services between Memorial Day and Labor Day start at 6 pm and end by 7 pm. We kick off the summer on June 5 with a send-off to our children who are headed for summer camp. We bless the children on their way as they head off for what we pray is an exciting and safe summer away at camp. On June 12, we bring in Shabbat with our very best four-legged 4 th of July Shabbat Friday, July 3, :00pm Join us to celebrate with hot dogs and apple pie! LAKESIDE CONGREGATION FOR REFORM JUDAISM MMMM COUNTY LINE ROAD HIGHLAND PARK, IL (P) (F) friends. One member of the family never gets to come with us to shul. Pet Shabbat is an opportunity to bring your dog, cat, ferret or any other pet to services. We celebrate the love they bring into our lives and bless them. June 19 is the annual Shabbat Zemirot. A Shabbat musical service at the Shabbat dinner table. June 26, president David Macknin has invited the congregation to Shabbat services at his home. July 3 is the all-american Erev Fourth of July Shabbat service with hotdogs and apple pie (and a vegetarian option too). July 10 At the Heller Nature Center! Join us at 5:30 for a Mitzvah project, the service will start at 6:00pm. July 17 With High Holydays just two months away and the beginning of the Religious School year closer than that, this is the time for inviting friends and family for a relaxed summer service to get to know the Rabbi and Cantor and board members and learn about what the congregation offers. July 24 Shabbat at the Beach! We welcome Shabbat barefoot in the sand. Bring your dinner as we share our picnic Shabbat together. Other temple activities continue as normal over the summer. The choir will begin practicing for the High Holy Days as the office prepares the building for Rosh Hashanah. With best wishes for a relaxing summer. Page 4

5 The Children s Center is wrapping up another awesome year! This school year we added Rainbow Wednesday to our curriculum! It was a really fun way to dress up or bring in stuff from home. We met with the Rabbi and the Cantor to celebrate holidays and sometimes we met just to be together in the sanctuary. Our students brought their parents and families into school on birthdays and on Shabbat. But our very favorite was when the grandparents actually came to school with the kids and participated Join us for Rosh Chodesh Monday, June 15 th at 7:30pm Join us at Lakeside for a special CAMP SEND-OFF SHABBAT SERVICE Join us as we send our kids off to summer camp! From the Children s Center Paula Davis, Children s Center Director in a regular school day! It is always bittersweet to see our oldest group (Shining Starz) leave us. We teach them, play with them and watch them learn and grow. Now they are off to Kindergarten and beyond. This year we say goodbye to Julia, Eli, Mae, Dylan, Ava, Yva, Will, Channing, Jackson! Good luck to all of our Shining Starz. May your journey always be a happy one. We will miss all of you and look forward to celebrating with many of you at Lakeside for years to come! Happy Summer everyone! Friday, June 5th, 6pm TODAH ROBAH» Lynda Maram for the Blue Kids effort.» Laura Frey for organizing the senior seder that the Rabbi led.» The choir for the Founders Day service.» Marcie Bearman for arranging for the speaker, and Bill Goodman for the yahrzeit candles for the Yom Hashoah service.» Our many committees including Adult Enrichment, Mitzvah Day, Social Action, and Religious School for their outstanding work this year.» The Lakeside Sisterhood for all their contributions to our synagogue.» The budget committee for their hard work (Len Solof, Bill Moskoff, Stuart Gilman, David Pollans, Lee Rivlin, Lori Rudman, Mark Burka, Jack Kaplan, David Macknin, Rick Schuster).» Jack Kaplan thanked the Executive Committee for their dedication this year, notably Bill Moskoff s exemplary work as treasurer.» Thanks to those board members rotating off the board at the end of this fiscal year Jeff Richardson, Lee Rivlin, Paul Epner, Lori Rudman, and Jeff Schubert.» Much thanks and gratitude to our board president Jack Kaplan. Page 5

6 LAKESIDE CONGREGATION FOR REFORM JUDAISM From the President David Macknin, President Annual Meeting, here are my remarks from that morning, remarks to serve to guide our trip for the coming year into the future Good morning, boker tov, and thank you all for being here, to every member of Lakeside, to every member of Lakeside s staff and to every lay leader and volunteer, past, present and future. And, thank you to the generous members of our Congregation who have covered our luncheon expense, particularly one anonymous, significant angel sponsor. Today we honor our 60+ year past, appreciate our present condition and - going forward h azak h azak, from strength to strength - prepare to embrace the challenges and seize the opportunities of the future together. One might argue, as we look to the future - that having our Immediate Past President (me) serve as President for the coming year, to be followed by a former Vice President (Karen Horwitz, our new VP-Strategic Planning) serving as President for the following year - is hardly forward-thinking. Right? Our entire Leadership Team, however, assures you - and, more important, will demonstrate - that we will be both forward-thinking and forward-acting to best serve Lakeside. Today is our first-ever interactive and truly family-friendly Annual Meeting in our history. As you all proceed to enjoy the exotic animal show and then lunch, I ask you to please do two things:» Pause for a moment and consider today s approach merely the first mile-marker on an exciting ride ahead... together; and,» Buckle up. Once again, thank you. The 61st Lakeside Congregation Annual Meeting is now adjourned.... Greetings as we end the school year and start our warm season. The fresh air is a joy, just as is being a member of Lakeside, a joy created and shared by all of us together. I thank you for the privileged opportunity to again serve as our President, albeit for a designed single year term. Next spring, our new Above, a shared trip into our future VP-Strategic Planning Karen Horwitz together is noted. A road map will and I will swap jobs. We will serve include milestones I will mark in each the Congregation with the other of the next five issues of Kolenu. Like terrific members of Lakeside, our Board of Directors each starts Are You Temple Shopping? and Executive with an L : Join Lakeside for Shabbat Committee. The Listening, to learn about our congregation! Executive Committee Learning, Not also includes Jack Friday, July 17th Looking, 1221 County Line Rd. too Kaplan as Immediate Living and Highland Park big! Past President, Len Leading. 6:00 pm T filot Solof as VP-Treasurer, We are now We can t wait to see you! Floyd Keene as deeply - and VP-Development, will always Rob Lindner as remain - in VP-Administration the Listening and Marc Cairo as phase. Each VP-Secretary. Their phase will JUST dedicated service, meaningfully RIGHT!! and that of every inform the Not too member of our Board next phase. small! of Directors, is greatly Thank you Lakeside is large enough to provide high quality diversified programming for all ages appreciated. all for being but small enough to offer a close feeling of community among its members. together on In case you were Lakeside Congregation 1221 County Line Road, Highland Park, IL (847) our trip. unable to attend our Page 6

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8 Strategic Planning Karen Horwitz After a 10+ year hiatus from temple leadership, I am honored, (and excited!) to have been asked to return, and to lead the newly formed Lakeside Congregation Strategic Planning Committee for 2015/2016. I look forward to working closely with our returning President, David Macknin, the Executive Committee, the Board and the entire professional staff of Lakeside on this important project. You might ask, Why does Lakeside need a Strategic Planning Committee? Or, if not ask why, you may wonder Why now? That is an excellent question! Earlier this year we celebrated Lakeside s 60 th anniversary, so this is precisely the right moment to turn our attention to the future! Organizations of all types - large or small - should routinely pause to acknowledge the past, celebrate accomplishments that have been achieved up to the present, but also make time (and take time) to consider the possibilities the future holds. This is exactly what the Strategic Planning Committee will do! It is time to examine every aspect of our congregation; past, present and future. Next you may ask, Who should serve on this committee? I want to work with the most qualified group of people I know each and every one of Lakeside s members! With your involvement we can: Talk about things our congregation does well Talk about things our congregation needs to improve Talk about things we don t do currently - and possibly should Talk about things we do do currently - and possibly shouldn t Talk about each individual s/family s hopes and dreams for Lakeside Talk about the past, present and future and how it relates to us as individuals, our families, our Lakeside family, our larger community (the North Shore and Chicago), Reform Judaism, and Judaism, in general, throughout the world. To be a member of this important committee, all you have to do is: 1. Submit a question, comment, concern, or suggestion on an orange card that will be available at many upcoming Lakeside events OR pick one up in the office. Once completed, drop your card (or cards!) into one of the Lakeside suggestion envelopes or drop, postal mail, or scan and it to the temple office OR 2. Attend one of TWO open meetings to be held at the synagogue: Thursday, June 4, 2015 at 7:00 PM in the Community Room Tuesday, July 28, 2015 at 7:30 PM in the Community Room Coffee, tea and cookies will be served! 3. Attend one of SIX smaller focus group meetings to be held at my home in Glencoe, between now and the High Holy Days. The first and second focus group meetings will be:» Wednesday, June 10 from 10 AM 12 PM» Wednesday, June 10 from 2 PM 4 PM Beverages and snacks will be served! Additional July and August focus group dates to be announced in Ma Nishma in the coming weeks. And, if none of these dates work for you, or if you prefer to speak with me one-on-one: me at karenraehorwitz@gmail. com and we will correspond via OR Call my home or cell and we can talk by phone OR Contact me by one of the above methods and we ll set a date to meet personally at my house, your house or somewhere in between. All of your comments, concerns and suggestions will be collected, analyzed, organized and presented for review by both the Board and the congregation on or before High Holy Days in September. Let your voice be heard! With your help, we can say cheers to another 60 years at Lakeside Congregation! Page 8

9 Adult Enrichment Marty Portnoy and Dan Blaustein The Adult Enrichment committee has been hard at work planning the schedule for next year s series of activities. But before we all go on summer vacation, we want to give a special Todah Rabah to everyone in the Lakeside community who attended one of the Sunday sessions. You are all essential to the success of this program, but in particular we are especially grateful to the following Lakeside members who sponsored a breakfast (or 2 or 3!) this year. We sincerely thank all of you for your past and continuing support, and look forward to seeing you again in August! Randall Cohn Dan and Blair Waddick Bill Rosen Hubert and Elaine Frank Bill Moskoff Susan Berlowitz Kit and Jeff Schubert Evey and Julian Horwich Betty Kleinberg Nancy Hollins Bill Echt and Robbie Hartman Ursula and Al Jonas Nancy and Alan Reinberg Charlie and Marcia Franklin Edna and Steve Morris Linda Alexander and Steve Wasserman Bob and Babs Benton Marcia Rosenbaum Lynda and Bernie Maram Floyd and Shari Keene Sherry and Jacob Sharp Janet Buckstein Ann Wolff Lakeside Sisterhood Al and Susan Klein John and Gail Salinger Len and Mary Solof Ike and Ceilanne Ruth and Neil Dritz Jeff and Lee Rivlin Rickie Cowin and John Brennan Henoch and Daniela Cwajbaum Sue Kaplan-Toch and Uri Toch Diane and Mike Zidman Michael Mendelson Joyce Lyon Janie and Brad Baskin Chuck and Gail Bagdade Caroline and Ron Siegel Roberta Heinrich Jim and Carol Schuster Ellen and Jack Meyers Linda and Zach Zager Ron and Meredith Orgiefsky Paul Epner and Janet Gans Epner Eli Fischer Michelle Mutter and Rich Leonard Susan Chisum Sheila Kidder/Les Sgnilek Dan and Tanja Blaustein Marty Portnoy and Carole Wald Jack Kaplan and Marian Macsai Offsite Shabbat Service for more information, contact the office at (847) Page 9

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12 Choir Chat Bob Benton It s the end of another religious year, and it s once again time for the choir to kick back, relive the past season from the High Holidays to our spring concert, the latter with great nostalgia because it was the last with the all- Chicago Kol Zimrah choir marking the retirement from that organization of our own wonderful conductor, Richard Boldrey. He will remain with us at Lakeside as Kol Zimrah moves on with another conductor and another rehearsal venue, but the memories of the beautiful music the two choirs made together linger on. As the Lakeside choir gets together for our annual potluck barbecue evening and the camaraderie that a tight-knit group can savor (along with some excellent and tasty refreshment, we know that we will be losing a few members by the time we sing again at the holiday services. We also value those new choir members who joined us last year over the summer. No, we don t go into hibernation and you will hear us now and then throughout the summer, including some new versions of our familiar liturgy. But we d love to welcome those of you to whom the choir presents some attraction. It s a very easy group to get along with, headed by a true musical guiding spirit who instructs, shapes and makes our sound truly inspiring. Richard Boldrey has made his reputation within the Jewish community as a creative and talented teacher and conductor and we are ever-grateful for his leadership. So with that in mind, we invite any of you who might like to participate to let any of us know, or Richard directly. This is a group with very little pressure, and who just like to sing and enrich ourselves along with enhancing the worship experience of the congregation. The learning and experience of Cantor Davis also helps us to understand the background and meaning of the words and prayers we learn. To those who always tell us that they d love to be with us, but we know so much more than they do, our answer is always the same when we first began, no matter how long ago we were in the same position you are. But over time, and with the help of other members, in and out of your section, we learned as we grew. Yes, it feels a little overwhelming at first, but before you re even aware, you have it in your ear and on your lips. We d love to have you with us; why not give it a try. Holiday rehearsals start in late July just talk to us. And enjoy your summer we expect to enjoy ours. Sisterhood LAKESIDE RAVINIA OUTING Lakeside Sisterhood annually sponsors an event at Ravinia on behalf of the entire Lakeside community. Join us on Sunday, July 19 for a concert with a slightly different twist: UNITY: THE LATIN TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL JACKSON Featuring Kevin Ceballo, Jean Rodriguez, Obie Bermudez, Jennifer Pena and others to be announced. Artists across the spectrum of Latin music unite to spice up the greatest hits of Michael Jackson in this unique tribute concert that started life as a celebratory CD, the brainchild of Peruvian singer/producer and multi-instrumentalist Tony Succor. Featuring such songs as Billie Jean, Man in the Mirror, Smooth Criminal, and Thriller, Unity: The Latin Tribute to Michael Jackson comes to Ravinia. We will reserve an area on the lawn for all of us meet. Please bring your dinner, and an appetizer or dessert for all to share. Purchase your lawn tickets anytime prior to the date of the concert so as to avoid an additional $5.00 charge per ticket. Sunday, July 19 4:00 PM Gates Open 7:00 PM Concert Start Call the Temple office at (847) for instructions on where to meet on the lawn. See you all there! Page 12

13 Unsung Hero MAZEL TOV! Noah is grateful for his experience over the past two years as a Madrich for the third grade class and for the opportunity to stay connected to his Lakeside family. Working with Mrs. Bellows, he observed first-hand how to make learning effective and enjoyable. When he is not studying and schlepping his 40-pound backpack, Noah plays his cello with the Highland Park High School orchestra, chamber group and cello choir. You can find him poolside this summer with a whistle in his mouth at Briarwood Country Club, where he will be a lifeguard. This fall, he will be attending Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. He plans to study environmental science and cello. Jami Goldberg has served as a senior Madricha, teacher aide for 3 years in both Hebrew and Religious school. Her family has been Lakeside members since Jami s birth and she started religious school in kindergarten. She became a Bat Mitzvah and culminated with confirmation. Jami has held positions on the regional board of B nai B rith Youth Organization (BBYO) and will be spending her 9th summer at OSRUI on the Teva, Nature staff before heading off to Indiana University in the fall. Tree of Life Inscribe your joyous occasions on our Tree of Life Birth Engagement Birthday Graduation Wedding Bar/Bat Mitvah Anniversary Confirmation Leaves: $180 Stones: $1800 For more information please call Allison Gelman in the Lakeside office at (847 ) » Allie Harris Fischman, who grew up at Lakeside congregation, was ordained on May 17 as a Rabbi at Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC- JIR). She finished her Masters in Jewish Education two years ago and is currently employed as the Associate Camp Director at Camp Neuman in California. We are proud that a graduate of our Religious and Hebrew school is a Rabbi. Mazel Tov to her mother, our teacher Deborah S. Harris, on this great accomplishment.» To Todd and Lauren, and big brother Benjamin Kessler, on the birth of their son, Ezra Miles Kessler.» To the family of Taryn, Kevin, Jude, Tallulah Weinstein, including grandparents Brad & Lisa Fisher and great-grandparents Ros & Jim Marks, on Tallulah s naming.» To Judy & Howard Gilbert on the naming of their twin grandsons Noah Aaron & Reid Liam Gilbert.» To Steve & Mary Serota on the naming of their granddaughter Lily Rose Serota. CONDOLENCES TO:» To the family of Sylvia Zelinsky.» To the family of William E. Levine.» To the family of Lester Abrams, father of Bruce (Tricia) Abrams, grandfather of Jessica and Jeremy.» To the family of Gus Kass.» To the family of Rick Hirsch, brother of Larry (Susan) Hirsch, uncle of Benjamin and Alana.» To the family of Philip Schonberger, cousin of Rabbi Isaac (Ceilanne Libber) Serotta.» To the family of Adele Sally Kacsh, mother of Jeri Laureano, grandmother to Emily. Page 13

14 LAKESIDE CONGREGATION FOR REFORM JUDAISM B nai Mitzvah Students ABBY JOHNSON Mazel Tov! Abby Johnson will be called to the Torah on the morning of June 6, 2015 when she becomes a Bat Mitzvah. Abby will be celebrating this special day with her twin Izzy, older sister, Cami and her parents, Laura and Park Johnson. Her grandparents, greatgrandmother, and many aunts, uncles and cousins will also be celebrating. Abby lives in Deerfield, IL and is a 6th Grader at Shepard Middle School. Abby is an elite soccer player as well as a member of the Shepard Pizazz Show Choir. Abby goes to Camp Med-o-Lark in Washington, Maine where she crafts candles and jewelry. For her Mitzvah Project, Abby worked at the Northern Illinois Food Bank and with TopSoccer, an organization that helps kids with disabilities learn to play soccer. IZZY JOHNSON Mazel Tov! Izzy Johnson will be called to the Torah on the morning of June 6, 2015 when she becomes a Bat Mitzvah. Izzy will be celebrating this special day with her twin Abby, older sister, Cami and her parents, Laura and Park Johnson. Her grandparents, greatgrandmother, and many aunts, uncles and cousins will also be celebrating. Izzy lives in Deerfield, IL and is a 6th Grader at Shepard Middle School. Izzy is an elite soccer player at FC United and loves to take care of children. Izzy goes to Camp Kamaji in Cass Lake, Minnesota where she loves all water activities. For her Mitzvah Project, Izzy worked at the Northern Illinois Food Bank and with TopSoccer, an organization that helps kids with disabilities learn to play soccer. COSETTE BENJAMIN Mazel Tov! Cosette Hope Benjamin will become a Bat Mitzvah on June 13, Cosette is a 6th grade student at Edgewood Middle School in Highland Park. Cosette s parents, Cyndy and Marc Benjamin, along with her sister Olivia and brother Jack, are looking forward to sharing in her special day. Her grandmother Barbara Schwartz and grandparents Joan and Gil Benjamin will also be in attendance. Cosette plays basketball for the All In Athletics Basketball Program and will be attending Kutcher s Sports Academy in MA this summer. Her mitzvah project hours were spent at JCYS Lutz Family Center in Highland Park. REGISTERING FOR SCHOOL IS NOW OPEN!! Page 14

15 The Social Action Committee (SAC) has completed its commitment to provide lunches on Sunday evenings to the Homeless Shelter at the First Presbyterian Church in Deerfield. We prepare lunches twice a year during those months when there is a fifth Sunday. Lunches are prepared for approximately fifty people. We are very glad to be able to perform this task knowing that our efforts are directly helping those in need. We continue to support the Lake Haven Women s Shelter. In addition to providing a meal every other month, we are now donating non-perishable food items to the shelter. In addition to the food items, we include kitchen and bathroom supplies. However, there is a great need for women s and children s clothing. New or gently used items are preferred. If you would like to donate please leave the items in the Temple lobby. Please put a note on the donation and make sure you tell the office of your donation so that they can inform our committee. Next year the Social Action Committee will be hosting two Adult Enrichment programs that will be of great interest to our congregants. The date of the first program is October 11 and the topic covers end of life issues. This program will be given by members of the organization Compassion and Choices. The presenters will provide information on the process that includes considering options, making decisions, and communicating with family and physicians in order to enable a peaceful end of life. This program will be made from a Jewish perspective. The second program will be on gun safety. October 25 is the date for this program. It is being hosted in conjunction with members of Temple Solel. Although this program is still being finalized some of the topics to be discussed include information on Social Action Len Solof how to discuss firearms with children and efforts to introduce smart guns into the law enforcement community. There is the possibility that we will have speakers from the either the Sheriff s department or the Public Defender s office. You can count on ample time for Q/A during both of these programs. We hope to see you there. As always we eagerly welcome new members to our committee. The need for social action increases every day. We would love to have every Lakeside member participate in one or more of our projects throughout the year. Our next meeting is June 16, Tuesday, 1PM in the Temple Library. If you are unable to attend or participate in one of our projects please consider making a contribution to the Social Action fund. The need for funds is as great as the need for people. Please contact us through the Temple office. Join us for Shabbat at the Heller Nature Center 2821 Ridge Road Highland Park, Illinois JULY 10TH, :30 Mitzvah Project [Picking up trash on the trails] 6:00 Shabbat Service We ll see you there! Page 15

16 Birthdays & Anniversaries BIRTHDAYS ANNIVERSARIES JULY JUNE Linda Alexander Cal Bernstein Janet Buckstein Arnold Goot Cindy Goot Jerry Biederman David Cohen Christine Feiler Bruce Friedman Cherie Geller David Goldman Hector Izaguirre Julie Hoffman Tanja Lloyd-Blaustein David Merjan Michael Rapaport Kevin Weinstein Arnie Yusim Rhonda Lindner Bernard Miller Victor Pildes Kit Schubert Howard Smith Jonathan Weiland Bob Weinstein JULY JUNE Marcie & Rob Bearman Bob & Paula Berk Jackie & Gary Cohen Ed & Joanne Gordon Paul & Sabra Gerber Susan & Sheldon Gottlieb Barbara & Barry Litwin Susan & Larry Hirsch Mike & Annie Kaplan Debi & Rick Shandling Marcy & Jason Turner Missy & Mark Pos David & Julie Schiffman TRIBUTE DONATION Your Name(s): Street Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: Check One General Fund Adult Enrichment Fund Mitzvah Day Fund Prayer Book Fund Founders Fund Torah Fund Flower & Garden Fund Cantor s Discretionary Fund Gertrude & James Salzenstein Building Fund Check One In Memory of: In Honor of: Rabbi s Discretionary Fund Religious School Fund Library Fund Kirchheimer Music & Choir Fund Paving our Paths Fund Sisterhood Fund Social Action Fund Sandy Peterson Fund Please Inform Name(s): Street Address: City: State: Zip: Enclosed is my contribution of $ Please make checks payable to: LAKESIDE CONGREGATION FOR REFORM JUDAISM We thank you for your contribution. Contributions are Income Tax Deductible. Page 16

17 Tribute Funds GENERAL FUND In Memory of Bernard Becker Rayna & Joel Forman In Memory of Philip H. Magnus Carole & Frank Grant In Memory of Mildred Mendelsohn Sue & Leon Mendelsohn In Memory of Iva Schwartz Sandy & Ken Krebs In Memory of Haskell Schwartz Sandy & Ken Krebs In Memory of Victoria Wolf Janet Freund In Memory of Manuel Frenzel Lois Pavalon In Memory of Marcella Cowin Joan & Howard Smith Debi & Rick Shandling Rick & Mary Schuster Evey & Julian Horwich Dan, Blair, & Rachel Waddick In Memory of Anna Tsoiref Svetlana Budilovsky In Memory of Rita Tsoiref Svetlana Budilovsky In Memory of Arnold Wolff Ann Wolff In Memory of Sylvia Rosenthal Rick & Mary Schuster In Memory of Lenore Shapiro Alvin & Gloria Shapiro ADULT ENRICHMENT FUND In Memory of Victor Smith Sue & Wally Roberts In Memory of William Winer Michael & Maxine Jacobson CANTOR S DISCRETIONARY FUND In Honor of Evan Izenstark s Bar Mitzvah The Izenstark Family CONNIE LOVENTHAL RELIGIOUS SCHOOL FUND In Honor of Evan Izenstark s Bar Mitzvah The Izenstark Family In Memory of Sylvia Lazarus Rosenthal Sue and Wally Roberts In Memory of Cecile Echt Bill Echt GERTRUDE & JAMES SALZENSTEIN BUILDING FUND In Memory of James Salzenstein Susan Stewart KIRCHHEIMER MUSIC AND CHOIR FUND In Memory of Richard Mottel Linda Zager In Memory of Richard F. Boldrey Janet Gans Epner & Paul Epner Jackie Goodman Janet Buckstein In Memory of Marcella Cowin Bob & Babs Benton LIBRARY FUND In Memory of Louise Burka Mark & Margaret Burka In Memory of Wilma Evert Mark & Margaret Burka MITZVAH DAY FUND In Honor of Mitzvah Day Roberta Heinrich Sue & Wally Roberts David Macknin Sandy & Renee Bank RABBI S DISCRETIONARY FUND In Honor of Evan Izenstark s Bar Mitzvah The Izenstark Family In Honor of Tallulah Weinstein s Baby Naming Taryn Fisher In Honor of Rick Schuster s Special Birthday Babs & Bob Benton In Honor of the baby naming of Reid & Noah Judy & Howard Gilbert In Memory of John B. Wright Chad & Tricia Smith In Memory of Michael Allen Susan, Tracy, and Wendy Allen In Memory of Gus Kass Marilyn Ring In Memory of Rhoda Turek Dr. Burton Turek In Memory of Reba Turek Dr. Burton Turek In Memory of Lester Abrams Bruce & Tricia Abrams In Memory of Faga Orgiefsky Ron, Meredith, and Ross Orgiefsky In Memory of Harry Coen Julie & Bob Lubar In Memory of William Levine Ellen & Stuart Gilman In Memory of Marcella Cowin Rickie Cowin In Memory of Sorrell Garfield Rayna Forman In Memory of Morris Herron Gus Kass In Memory of Elizabeth Jane Yusim Arnie Yusim SISTERHOOD FUND In Memory of Jerome Franklin Marcia & Charles Franklin In Memory of Laura Laney Debra & Richard Shandling Page 17

18 ARZA Dear fellow congregants, This is my last ARZA article for the Kolenu. I have been supplying information to the congregation about ARZA (Association of Reform Zionists of America) and Israel for the last five years as Lakeside s representative to ARZA and am now resigning from that position. I thank Rabbi Ike and Vanessa for their support of ARZA and Israel during my tenure. I would also like to thank the Lakeside members who joined ARZA and those who voted for ARZA in the recently concluded World Zionist Organization election. My hope is that I have raised the consciousness of Lakeside people about ARZA and its support of the Reform movement, democracy, inclusiveness and equality in Israel. I leave you with one last reason to support ARZA in the fight for gender equality in Israel. The following is a quote from a recent ARZA bulletin: Did you know --» There are buses in Israel that relegate women to the back?» Women are forbidden from praying with a Torah at the Western Wall?» There are some neighborhoods in Israel where a woman can be physically assaulted for not dressing modestly enough? (This can even apply to a woman showing her arms or wearing pants.)» Israel pays the salary of 260 rabbis. 257 of them are men.» The Orthodox control marriage, divorce, and conversion in Israel, and they do not ordain women rabbis. This means that in Israel, female rabbis cannot conduct marriages of their own constituents. Again, thanks to all of you that have supported ARZA. Sincerely, Mike Kaplan Join us for a very special Lakeside Healing Service June 2 nd, :30pm Lakeside s healing service is another opportunity for our community to gather. It is for those who need care and those who give care, for anyone who feels the need of physical, spiritual or emotional healing. Our healing service is more personal, more meditative, more engaging of all our senses, finding strength by ourselves and with our community. The music is about spirit and positive feeling and the contemplative prayers are food for the mind and body. Page 18

19 YOU BE THE JUDGE Join our legal experts in hearing real cases involving contraception, women s economic security, and transgender civil rights. We will vote as judges and then discuss how the courts actually ruled. Learn how decisions are part of an ongoing public policy process, and how citizen advocates can get involved in the judicial nomination and selection process to ensure a just and fair court system. Facilitators: Debra Fitzpatrick, Director, Center on Women and Public Policy at the University of Minnesota s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, and Executive Director, Infinity Project; Jill Gaulding, JD, Co-Founder and Legal Director, Gender Justice; Lisa Stratton, JD, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Gender Justice. $18 registration fee includes wine, soft drinks and appetizers. June 2 North Suburbs Lakeside Congregation, 1221 County Line Rd, Highland Park 6:45 Registration; 7:15 Program; 8:45 Court Adjourned. June 3 Chicago Hosted by Law Offices of Much Shelist, 191 N. Wacker Drive, #1800 Chicago. Building parking available ($12 after 4pm). Photo ID required. 5:30 Registration; 6:00 Program; 7:30 Court Adjourned. For more information call Register online at or make check payable to NCJW Chicago North Shore, and mail to NCJW, 1107 Central Avenue, Wilmette, IL Please indicate city or suburb location on check. Sponsors: NCJW Illinois State Policy Advocacy Network and Courts Matter Illinois. Special thanks to our co-sponsors and partners: Partial funding provided by BenchMark: NCJW s Judicial Nominations Campaign and our co-sponsors LAKESIDE CONGREGATION FOR REFORM JUDAISM MMMM COUNTY LINE ROAD HIGHLAND PARK, IL (P) (F) Page 19

20 Rabbi Isaac D. Serotta Cantor Michael Davis Vanessa M. Ehrlich, RJE, Educational Director Paula Davis, Children s Center Director Rick Schuster, Executive Director Allison Gelman, Office Manager/Events Planner Hilary Bryant-Sharp, Events Coordinator Stephanie Shu, Registrar to the Religious School David Macknin, President Len Solof, VP-Treasurer Marc Cairo, VP-Secretary Karen Horwitz, VP-Strategic Planning Rob Lindner, VP-Administration Floyd Keene, VP-Development Jack Kaplan, Immediate Past President Shari Keene, Co-Vice President Membership, Sisterhood Margaret Burka, Librarian The Children s Center of Lakeside Congregation 1221 County Line Road, Highland Park, IL Phone: (847) Kolenu Editors: Bob Benton and Michelle Rapaport Kolenu Designer: Kristy Scher The Kolenu deadline is the first of every other month. Any material received after that date will be held until the following issue. AFFILIATED WITH URJ SINCE 1955 RELIGIOUS SCHOOL NATE ACCREDITATION OFFICE HOURS Monday :00 am - 5:00 pm Tuesday (on school days) 9:00 am - 6:00 pm Wednesday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Thursday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm SCHOOL HOURS Hebrew School Tuesday Religious School Sunday 4:00 pm - 5:45 pm 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Friday Sunday (on school days) 9:00 am - 3:00 pm 9:00 am - 12:30 pm LAKESIDE CONGREGATION FOR REFORM JUDAISM 1221 County Line Road, Highland Park, IL Phone: Fax: lakesidecongregation.org Page 20