Looking for volunteers or know of other opportunities? Contact Bekki Kaplan or call her at 847-869-4230 x 304
** Notes this is a one-time opportunity**
Serve or Cook Lunch on the Fourth Wednesday of the Month
Continue the tradition! TJM worked with A Just Harvest, serving meals on the fourth Wednesday for about 35 years. Seeking volunteers to help prepare and cook meals (10:00 – 11:30 am ) and/or serve meals (12:00 – 2:00 pm). Donations are always welcomed as well! If you are interested in volunteering or learning more, please email Michelle Oxman or call 847-558-9797.
Restocking Evanston's Food Fridges
Hi! I’m Rebecca Weiner, and I am in seventh grade and at Beth Emet, and recently celebrated my Kabbalat Mitzvah. For my mitzvah project, I’ve made a commitment to clean and restock the Evanston food fridges, (community fridges that anyone is free to take from or add to). Starting this January, I will be restocking the fridge with staples weekly, but I am also aiming to be able to do larger restocks about once a month.
My goal is to make a positive impact on our local community, especially during January and February when resources are in shorter supply. You can help me by donating to this GoFundMe!
The Beth Emet Soup Kitchen is excited to announce that, after more than 2 1/2 years, we will begin serving our guests indoors again. In the past, guests have enjoyed the musical entertainment that was provided during dinner. Do you or your child play an instrument? We are seeking adult or teen musicians to entertain our guests during dinner on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 -7:00 pm. This could be monthly or an occasional gig. Service hours are available for teens.
If you are interested, please email Leslie Shulruff
Bringing the Warmth of Shabbat Dinners to Our Community
Do you enjoy cooking? Are you comfortable delivering a meal made by someone else? If your answer is yes, we have a volunteer program geared for you.
Every Friday, one Shabbat Connections volunteer prepares a home-cooked meal and brings it to Beth Emet. Later that day, another Shabbat Connections volunteer picks it up and delivers the meal to a Beth Emet family who may be recovering from illness, had a recent death in the family, recently moved, is homebound, or recently had a baby. The delicious dinner makes Shabbat special (and easier) for the recipient.
Whether you would like to regularly participate or lend a hand once or twice a year, we need you to help perform this mitzvah of cooking and delivering dinner. Funding is available to help defray the costs.
Please contact Arlene Berke or Kathy Kaberon if you are interested in volunteering or learning more about Shabbat Connections.
Feeding the Hungry with Respect and Love
The Beth Emet Soup Kitchen is currently recruiting volunteers to help on most Wednesday evenings in July and August. We are making assignments for sack lunches, salads, and nut-free desserts, which are made at home and delivered to the synagogue between 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. on the assigned date. In addition, adults are needed to help onsite 4:30 – 7:00 p.m. to prepare the rest of the meal, and to serve it to a portion of our guests who choose to dine inside. (Please note that there are very limited opportunities for youth to participate onsite.) Those working onsite will be asked to purchase and bring certain ingredients used in the food preparation. Please let us know your interest, and we’ll find you an open date and provide additional instructions.
Learn More about the Soup Kitchen
Beth Emet Co-Sponsors Afghan Refugee Family
The family continues to need help with English practice, such as learning letters, numbers, and American money, or rides for shopping and to appointments.
Contact Alison Finkel or Jessie MacDonald.
Sharing a D'Var Torah (Sermon) with the Community
Following the Torah reading at Kahal Shabbat morning services, a member of the clergy, Director of Lifelong Learning or a member of the community offers a D’var Torah (sermon) and questions for the community to discuss.
Whether you’re a seasoned leader or wish to learn (you’re welcome to meet with the rabbi as you prepare), we would love to learn from and with you.
Contact: the office
Ushering in Shabbat
A great way to meet others in others in the congregation is by ushering for Shabbat services.
Offering a “Shabbat Shalom,” ensuring that everyone has a siddur (prayer book), and making sure everyone feels welcome & included is an important part of building a community.
Contact: Bekki Kaplan
Honoring the Deceased
Beth Emet is part of the Progressive Chevra Kadisha (PCK), a volunteer inter-congregational society dedicated to conducting the ceremony of tahara in preparation for Jewish burial.
PCK is run by volunteers from Beth Emet, the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, Lomdim, Or Chadash, and the Egalitarian Minyan/Ner Tamid of West Rogers Park to serve the needs of members and their families.
When someone dies, PCK members visit the funeral home — as part of the Beth Emet Burial Plan or at a family’s request — and prepare the body of the deceased according to the centuries-old customs of our people.
PCK members wash the body (rechitza), perform a tahara (ritual cleansing), and dress the deceased in a set of tachrichim (simple white garments) for burial. The Progressive Chevra Kadisha performs this service anonymously as g’mitlut chesed (an ultimate act of lovingkindness) to honor the dead and to comfort the living who remember them.
To learn more about the work of the Progressive Chevra Kadisha, to inquire about arranging a tahara, or to volunteer, call 847-440-4725, or email pckadisha@gmail.com.
Leading Kaddish for Those in Mourning
When a member of our community experiences a loss, Shiva Minyan volunteers offer comfort and support by leading services in the homes of mourners. This volunteer opportunity is for you if you’re comfortable leading a shiva service (or learning how to).
Contact the office at 847-869-4230 to request a minyan leader. If you have experience leading a shiva minyan or are interested in being trained to become a minyan leader, please contact Jack Levie or Howard Sachs.
For Crochet and Knitting Lovers
Know how to knit and/or crochet?
As a tribute to Nikki Zarefsky z”l, join us for an hour (on zoom) of knitting and connecting as we create shawls to warm people during services and/or healing shawls that will bring warmth to those in need in a hospital, home, or other settings.
Newcomers are welcome and encouraged to join!
Contact: Beth Emet Soul Stitchers
Reading Torah and Learning Cantillation
Chant Torah? Care to learn trope (cantillation)?
At our weekly Kahal Shabbat morning service Torah is read by a member of the community. Add your name to the list of those who are interested in reading. And if you wish to learn, check out our Adult Programming classes.
Contact the office to sign up for a Torah reading for Shabbat or offer to read Torah for the Holidays.
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