May 2005

Nisan/Iyar 5765

From the Rabbipage 2

Happeningspage 3

2005-2006 Slate ofOfficers and Boardpage 7

Jewish Learningpage 11

Volume 34 Number 10

The Officers and Directors, Clergy and Staff,

and the

KAM Isaiah Israel Confirmation Class of 2005/5765

cordially invite you to our

SHABBAT CONFIRMATION SERVICE

on

Friday, May 20, at 7:30 p.m.

The Congregational Choir will sing.

The families of the Confirmands

will host an Oneg Yom Tov

following the service.

The KAM Isaiah Israel Klezmer Band will perform at the Oneg.

KAM ISA IAH ISRAEL CONGREGAT ION

Confirmation Class 2005/5765 ParentsAlicia Brudney Ellen Rosendale and Daniel BrudneyMax Cuneo-Grant Bettina Cuneo and Mark GrantJacob Epstein Deborah and David EpsteinAndy Kern Judy and Richard KernEmma Lantos Nancy Fritz and John LantosJacqueline Meadow Susan Goldin-Meadow and Bill MeadowSteven Muschler Ann Becker and David MuschlerAmalia Roth Cecilia and Joel RothBenjamin Wishnick Amy and Jonathan WishnickJacob Yanowski Deborah Yanowski and David Yanowski

We will also honor KAMII students who are graduating high school this year.

2 KAMII

From the Rabbi’s Desk

ZICHRONAM LIVRACHAHMay their memory be a blessing

We remember our members,

Mayer (Mike) Stern, husband of Gloria Stern, father of Ruth (Jim) Geis and Miriam Stern

Elisabeth Lassers

One of the strongest impressionsI returned with from our congrega-tion’s recent mission to Israel wasthe vitality of the Israel Movementfor Progressive Judaism (IMPJ),Israel’s Reform movement. We visit-ed three Reform communities (TzurHadassah, near Jerusalem, KolHaneshamah in Jerusalem, andBirkat Shalom, located at KibbutzGezer), as well as the headquartersof the IMPJ, Mercaz Shimshon in

Jerusalem. After years of struggling for legitimacy, the Reformmovement in Israel is making great strides in terms of recogni-tion and acceptance in the eyes of the Israeli public, even if itmust still contend with the Orthodox establishment, which con-tinues to use its political power to deny funding to the Reformmovement and otherwise impede its progress.

The decision handed down by Israel’s Supreme Court today(March 31) ordered the state to recognize non-Orthodox con-versions in which the study process was conducted in Israel butwas finalized overseas. Such individuals will be considered Jewsaccording to the Law of Return, which grants Israeli citizenshipto any Jew who wishes. This case is but the latest in a string oflegal victories on behalf of religious pluralism brought by theReform movement’s Israel Religious Action Center, decisionsthat resonate with most Israelis’ sense of democracy.

As the IRAC is winning court cases, the IMPJ is winninghearts and minds. There are now twenty-three congregationsaffiliated with the IMPJ. The idea of joining a synagogue andpaying dues is not part of Israeli culture, especially since thegovernment supports thousands of Orthodox synagogues andrabbis. Nonetheless, increasingly, Israelis are turning toReform synagogues and Reform rabbis for bar and bat mitzvahand weddings (even if the couple is first married “officially” bythe state rabbinate). Other programs of outreach and educa-tion, such as the more than forty pre-school and kindergartens

run by Reform synagogues, as well as a growing social actioncomponent, are spreading the reputation of the IMPJ. Finally,the development of a growing cadre of Israeli born and trainedReform rabbis is helping overcome the (false) impression thatReform Judaism is an American phenomenon for Americanolim (immigrants) only.

It used to be common wisdom that Israelis were either “reli-gious” (i.e. Orthodox) or secular (which ranged from non- tovehemently anti-religious). A former director of the ForeignMinistry, Shlomo Avinery, once said, “The synagogue I don’tattend is Orthodox.” In recent years, there has been a growinganger at the Orthodox establishment in Israel over a number ofissues, including the disproportionate allocation of funds toOrthodox institutions, forcing businesses and public trans-portation to close on Shabbat, and restrictive practices aroundmarriage and divorce. Additionally, as in other parts of theworld, there has been in Israel a resurgence of interest in reli-gion and spirituality. A recent survey asked Jewish Israelis withwhich stream of Judaism they most identify. Twenty-three per-cent responded “Orthodox,” while thirty-four percent said“Reform.” This is a remarkable transformation and suggeststhat there will be continued growth for Reform Judaism inIsrael that will affect not only the religious lives of individualIsraelis but also has the potential to affect the character of theMedinat Yisrael (the State of Israel) as well.

If you want to learn more about Reform Judaism in Israel,visit the websites of the IMPJ (www.reform.org.il), the IsraelReligious Action Center (www.irac.org) and ARZA, theAssociation of Reform Zionists of America (www.arza.org). Inthe near future I will be communicating with you about somesimple but essential things you can do to support the growth ofthe Reform movement in Israel.

KAMII NOTE CARDSThanks to the generosity of one of our congregation’s families, we

have new, beautiful KAM Isaiah Israel note cards available for purchase.The cards have a lovely color photograph, taken by Fred Stein, of oneof our extraordinary stained glass windows. The proceeds from the saleof the cards will benefit the Rabbis’ discretionary funds. You mayremember that we eliminated High Holy Day solicitations to this fund afew years ago, and the donors wanted to do something to assure thefunds’ continued income.

The cards are available in packages of ten for $20. Every time youbuy a package of cards you will be listed as a contributor to the fund.The donors of this gift wish to remain anonymous; however, you canthank them by purchasing the cards. This way you can benefit an impor-tant temple fund while getting beautiful stationary.

Give us a call or stop in the office to purchase cards. We know youwill enjoy sending them to your family and friends.

3MAY 2005

Happenings

Please join us for

champagne, savories, and sweets

to honor our beloved

Cantor Deborah Bard

on the occasion of her 10th anniversary with our congregation.

Wednesday, May 256:00 - 8:00 p.m.

RSVP: Anya Drew 773.373.1683 or Bill Singerman at zevsingerman@yahoo.com.

an evening of fine dining and sociabilitySaturday, May 14, 2005

6:30 p.m.

Join us for dinner at the home of a fellow congregant, followed by elegant desserts, dancing, and entertainment at KAMII.Music by the fabulous Spanish guitarists, Fernandez & Kimball; Cantor Bard will also entertain us with a few songs.

Raffle prizes include 2 round-trip tickets on American Airlines anywhere in U.S., dinner certificates, tickets to the Sox-Cubsgame, and more! Or be the high bidder for a dinner for ten cooked and served in your own home by world-renowned chef,Jackie Shen.

All the Chamets You Can Eat at the

NINTH ANNUAL YOUTH GROUP SPAGHETTI SUPPER AND DESSERT AUCTION

Saturday, May 7, at 6:00 p.m.

Bring a dessert – or two or three – to auction off!

Bring a hearty appetite!

Bring your checkbook!

All the spaghetti you can eat for only $10

8th - 12th graders stay for a lock-in (games, movies, talk, snacks)

4 KAMII

COMING UP IN MAY, MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Kadima Car Wash

Sunday, May 22, 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Don’t miss this year’s Kadima car wash! Kadimastudents will wash your car while you enjoy differentactivities happening at the school. Proceeds will go toa charity selected by the students.

Happenings

Sunday 1 10:00 am 6th Grade Family Program1:00 pm 7th Grade Family Potluck

Friday 6 6:00 pm Family Shabbat Dinner andService Honoring our Teachers

Saturday 7 6:00 pm Youth Group Spaghetti Dinner &Dessert Auction

8:30 pm Youth Group Lock-in

Saturday 14 12:30 pm 6th Grade Family Mini-Retreat

Sunday 15 10:00 am Walk with Israel

Friday 20 7:30 pm Confirmation Service

Sunday 22 Last Day Religious School 9:30 am Kadima Car Wash 11:00 am School AssemblyNoon Religious School Picnic

Hyde Park Lunch &

LearnN

oon

Hebrew

School 4 pm

Kids’ C

hoir 5:30 pm

Reform

Worship 7:30 pm

May 2

00

5

9

Wednesday

TuesdayM

ondaySaturday

FridayThursday

Sunday2

13

45

67

81

01

112

13

14

16

17

18

19

20

21

23

24

25

26

28

30

31 H

P-Kenw

ood InterfaithC

ouncil 5:15 pm

Yiddish Class 7:30 pm

Book C

lub 7:30 pm

School Com

mittee 7:30 pm

Torah Study 9:30 am

Shabbat Service – Adam

Gelm

an’s Bar M

itzvah 10:30 am

KAMIsaiah Israel

KAMIsaiah Israel

Shabbat Service – Led byParents of C

onfirmands 8 pm

Confirm

ation Shabbat Service7:30 pm

Hebrew

School – Last Day

4 pm

Kids’ C

hoir Pizza Party 5:30 pm

Reform

Worship 7:30 pm

15

22

27

29

Torah Study 9:30 am

Shabbat Service 10:30 am

YG

Spaghetti Dinner &

Dessert

Auction 6 pm

Torah Study 9:30 am

Shabbat Service – JonathanM

argoliash’s Bar M

itzvah 10:30 am

6thG

rade B’nei M

itzvah M

ini-Retreat 12:30 pm

Eat Your Heart O

ut for KA

MII

6:30 pm

Yiddish Class 7:30 pm

Jewish G

enealogy 7:30 pm

Mem

orial Day – Synagogue

Closed

Kadim

a Car W

ash 9 am

Last Day: R

eligiousSchool/B

’yachad/Adult Ed

Religious School Picnic N

oon

B’yachad 9:30 am

Religious School

No K

adima

Adult Education

Hebrew

School

Yiddish Class 7:30 pm

Jewish G

enealogy 7:30 pm

Yom H

ashoah Com

mittee

8 pm

Weinstein C

omm

ittee 8 am

Hebrew

School 4 pm

Kids’ C

hoir 5:30 pm

Introduction to Judaism 7 pm

Reform

Worship 7:30 pm

Shabbat Potluck Dinner 6 pm

Family Shabbat Service

Honoring Teachers 7 pm

Please confirm dates and tim

es with the office,

as schedules may change.

HP Israel Solidarity

Day 10 am

No R

eligious School/Kadim

a/H

ebrew School/A

dultEducation

Board of D

irectors Meeting

7:30 pm

B’yachad 9:30 am

Religious School

Kadim

a

Adult Education

Hebrew

School

Yom H

ashoah Observance

7 pm

Torah Study 9:30 am

Shabbat Service 10:30 am

Dow

ntown Lunch &

LearnN

oon

Reform

Worship 7:30 pm

Shabbat Service 8 pm

Developm

ent Com

mittee

7:15 pm

Social Justice Com

mittee

7:30 pm

6 KAMII

Tributes

Cantor’s Discretionary FundIn appreciation

Miriam Golden and Susan BorelliIn appreciation

Ed Rubovits and FamilyIn memory of Ho Lee Young

Linda Young and Steve Sibener

General ContributionIrene Farkas-ConnLucinda and Norman Katz

In honor of Janet and David Midgley’s new grandchildDeborah and David Epstein

In memory of Harold JaffeLinda Robinson GordonDeborah and Philip Halpern

Gretel and Max Janowski FundIn memory of Harold Jaffe

Marlene and Harold RichmanIn honor of Marlene and Harold Richman’s specialanniversary

Bernece and Marvin Simon

Jacob J. Weinstein FundIn honor of Alex Elson’s special birthday

Bernece and Marvin Simon

Landmark Preservation FundIn honor of Lois Zisook’s special birthday

Bernece and Marvin Simon

Memorial YahrzeitsIn memory of Pearle Zeltzerman

Miriam Zeltzerman and John Weber

Music Enhancement FundIn memory of my grandmother

Cantor Deborah BardIn honor of Susan and David Levitin’s new granddaughter

Stephanie EttelsonIn memory of Bernard Adelson

Barbara and Tom Schnitzer

Rabbi Hayim Goren Perelmuter FundHelene and Ray Groban

Rabbi’s Discretionary FundIn memory of Harold Jaffe

Chris Jacobs and Hank WebberIn honor of Nathaniel Hochman’s Bar Mitzvah

David Wishnick

Stolz-Levi Walter Jacobs Memorial Library FundIn honor of Bob Drinan’s special birthday

Debra HammondIn memory of Alice Rubovits

Syrelle Norton

Youth Activity FundIn honor of Matthew Cramer’s special birthdayIn honor of John Goldwyn’s special birthday

Dorothy Gans

~ We thank all contributors for their generosity and support of our synagogue family. ~

(contributions received March 2 - April 1 are listed)

SPECIAL MAY BIRTHDAYSRosalie Fruchter, May 1; James Redfield, May 2;Andrea Kutner, May 3; Linda Hanessian, May 4; MarciaHochberg, May 11; Yali Amit, May 12; Jerry Levy, May14; Madlaine Fox, May 15; Norman Weinberg, May 19;Anthony Walters, May 20; Mark Hornung, May 21; IrisGoldstein, May 23; Alan Leff, May 23; Tom Trabasso,May 25; Charles Saltzman, May 28.

SPECIAL MAY ANNIVERSARIESMiriam Kalichman and Charlie Firke, 30 years, May 10.

SPECIAL JUNE BIRTHDAYSRose Nayer, June 3; Alan Berger, June 4; LawrenceGilbert, June 4; Rick Meyer, June 4; Diane Silverman,June 4; Mitchell Brown, June 6; Ron Cohen, June 7;Susan Stodolsky, June 7; Leah Goldberg, June 9; CathySolomon, June 9; Ben Jacobson, June 10; CharlotteMiller, June 16; Silvia Jaffey, June 19; Jeff Levine, June24; Marlene Necheles, June 24; Brenda Meadow, June27; Laura Fisher, June 30.

SPECIAL JUNE ANNIVERSARIESCarrie and Joel Freehling, 10 years, June 10; Joy andJonathan Rosner, 40 years, June 13; Gloria and AlNeedlman, 55 years, June 18; Ruth and Larry Bloom,35 years, June 28; Bonnie Koenig and GerryRosenberg, 20 years, June 30.

Leadership

7MAY 2005

157th ANNUAL MEETING SHABBAT

Friday, June 10

Annual Meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Congregational Shabbat Dinner at 7:00 p.m.

Shabbat Service at 8:00 p.m.

including

Volunteer Recognition

and

Installation of Officers and Board of Directors

Followed by a festive Oneg Shabbat

NOMINATING COMMITTEE PRESENTS 2005-2006 SLATE

The Nominating Committee 2005 thanks themany of you who came to speak with us and whoproposed candidates for leadership positions viaemail, phone, and postcard. You ensured thatour search for good congregational leaders wasthorough and informed. We are pleased to pres-ent our slate for the Board of Directors andOfficers of the Congregation for 2005-2006 – acommitted, talented, diverse group of memberswho have demonstrated their willingness andability to serve the congregation.

OFFICERS

President David MidgleyVice Presidents Deborah Epstein

Chris JacobsJerry Meites

Secretary Mickey EderTreasurer Debra Hammond

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

For a three-year term expiring in June 2008:Debbie GreenRay GrobanEthan IsraelsohnDavid ItzkoffHelen KimDan MassJohn SchumannMax Stein

Respectfully submitted,

Nominating Committee 2005Deborah Halpern, ChairRonald BauerMitzi BaumRona BrownMichael DocktermanMarina GilmanEthan IsraelsohnMiriam KalichmanPenny Pollack

8 KAMII

In the FamilyBy Grace Wolf� Argonne Has New Director

We congratulate Robert Rosner, who became Director ofArgonne National Laboratory on April 18. In the March 17University of Chicago Chronicle, Rosner – most recentlyArgonne's Chief Scientist – is praised by both U.S. Secretaryof Energy Samuel Bodman and U of C President Don Randel.Randel said, “Bob is a distinguished computational astrophysi-cist with broad interests across the basic and applied sciencesand extensive Department of Energy experience. I am confi-dent that [he] will provide decisive leadership and insightfulstrategic vision for Argonne.”

� Briefly NotedRabbi Ellen Weinberg Dreyfus, daughter of Eve and

Norman Weinberg, and her husband, Dr. James Dreyfus, arebeing honored by Congregation B'nai Yehuda Beth Sholom inHomewood, Illinois, the weekend of May 6-7

The ever-traveling Sander Gilman alighted briefly inMinneapolis March 28 to speak at Temple Israel about “SmartJews: The Legend of Jewish Superior Intelligence and What ItHas Meant for the Jews.”

We read in the March 4 Chicago Jewish News: “TheSisterhood of Skokie’s Temple Beth Israel has been awardedthe second annual Rhoda Hauptman Memorial for Excellenceaward. Hauptman, a longtime member of Hyde Park's KAMIsaiah Israel, was the first president of the Midwest Federationof Temple Sisterhoods.”

Deborah Halpern wrote to the editor of the Hyde ParkHerald March 23 about a group of male admirers of RuthHorwich, art collector and honorary chair of the Hyde ParkArt Center, who have formed a group called the Brotherhoodof Men Who Love Ruth. Thirty of these men convened in aWest Side art gallery on March 6 to celebrate Ruth’s birthday.Happy Birthday from us, too, Ruth!

Lizzi Heydemann, daughter of Helaine and PeterHeydemann, has been accepted by the University of Judaism’sZiegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles. She writes,“My main objective is to impart joy, love, compassion, gen-erosity; to teach Jewish ways to lie down and rise up that willinfuse our daily conversation in our homes and on our ways; to

explore how these central pieces of religious experience trans-late into social responsibility and community involvement.”

During Pope John Paul II’s final illness, the April 2 ChicagoTribune published an interview with Dr. Alan Leff, pulmo-nologist and critical care specialist at the University of Chicago.He described in detail how the Pope’s health had declined untiloverwhelming fever and infection made death inevitable.

Some apparent cases of domestic violence may involve vic-tims of human trafficking, a modern form of slavery to whichthe U.S. Department of Health and Human services is nowalerting physicians. An article in the March 14 issue ofAmerican Medical News, an on-line publication, quotes Dr.John Schumann of the U of C Pritzker School of Medicine,who has organized workshops on human trafficking: “Whendomestic violence became an issue, initially it was viewed asbeyond the realm of doctors. But if we don’t ask, people aren’tgoing to tell us. We can hook them up with resources.”

Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf will be scholar-in-residence May27-29 at Temple Har Zion in Toronto. The theme of his talksthere will be “Torah Versus the Jews.”

� Under the ChuppahKimberly Kolody and Joshua Silverman, son of Diane and

Louis Silverman, were married on Saturday, March 26, at IdaNoyes Hall at the University of Chicago. Mazel tov to theSilverman family!

� Mazel TovBest wishes to Marc Sternfield and Melissa Kaufman on

their recent engagement. Marc is the son of Rabbi MichaelSternfield and stepson of Cantor Deborah Bard. ADecember wedding is planned.

� Family AdditionMazel tov to Dr. Elizabeth Kieff and Tom Levinson, who

on March 15 welcomed a new son, Asher.The California Greenbergs, Daniel, Janna, and Zacky,

recently welcomed Alexander Jordan, the tenth grandchild ofBarbara and Bernie Greenberg.

OPPORTUNITY TO HOST FRENCH JEWISH STUDENTWould you like to host a French Jewish high school senior for the month of July? This young man comes to us via

Kimberly Arkin, one of our members who is working on her thesis in France. The young man wants to be an inter-national lawyer and "is obsessed with the United States," where he has traveled several times. If you are interested inlearning more about this young man, please contact Kimberly at karkin@uchicago.edu.

9MAY 2005

In the Community

YOM HASHOAH

A Program of Music and Remembrance

Thursday, May 5, at 7:00 p.m.

at KAM Isaiah Israel

Sponsored by the Hyde Park-Kenwood

Council of Jewish Organizations

� Despres Promotes New BookFormer Chicago alderman Leon Despres is busily promot-

ing his new book, Challenging the Daley Machine: AChicago Alderman’s Memoir, written with Kenan Heise. OnThursday, May 5, at 7:00 p.m., Despres and Abner Mikva willdiscuss social activism, ethics and justice at the ChicagoHistorical Society, Clark Street at North Avenue. Admission tothis event is $10; it’s free for members of the ChicagoHistorical Society. On Sunday, May 22, from 1:00 to 3:00p.m., Despres will speak and sign books at the Hyde Park ArtCenter, 5307 S. Hyde Park Boulevard. Admission is free.

� From NextbookWe were sorry to learn that Aharon Appelfeld will not be

coming to Chicago on May 3 to speak as part of the NextbookWriters Series. On Wednesday, May 18, at 7:30 p.m.,Nextbook is sponsoring David Rakoff at the Abbey Pub, 3420W. Grace St. Rakoff is a frequent guest on public radio’s “ThisAmerican Life.” His work often blurs the line between journal-ism and satire. His newest collection of essays is Don’t GetToo Comfortable. As with all Nextbook events, this programis free and open to the public. However, you are encouragedto reserve in advance at www.nextbook.org or by calling888.621.2230 on weekdays between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00p.m.

� Study at Liberal Yeshiva in JerusalemJuly 1-16 you have an opportunity to join an intensive study

and worship seminar in Jerusalem at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. The first week will focus on TheJew and the Other (Acher): In Sacred Text and in IsraeliSociety; the second week will address Pray It Again, Sam:Another Look at the Prayers We Know. Tuition of $740includes group tours and some meals. For further information,contact Betsy Landis at 212.824.2240 or blandis@huc.edu.

� This Month at SpertusOn Sunday, May 15, at 2:30 p.m., Spertus Institute of

Jewish Studies will present Saul Bellow’s Stories on Stage,staged readings of A Silver Dish and The Old System, direct-ed by Sandy Shinner of Victory Gardens Theater. Admission is$12, $10 for Spertus members, $8 for students.On Thursday, May 19, at 6:30 p.m., Spertus is presenting itsannual Norman Asher Memorial Program, In and Out of theGhetto: Balancing the Sacred and the Secular inRenaissance Italy. This unique multimedia program exploresthe long and colorful history of Jews in Italy. Treasures fromthe Asher Library and the Spertus Museum, along with a musi-cal performance by Ars Musica Chicago, will accompany DeanBell, Chief Academic Officer and Professor of Jewish Historyat Spertus Institute. This program is free, but reservations arerequested.

The annual Tulsky Lecture on the Jewish Future will bedelivered on Sunday, May 22, at 2:00 p.m. by Father John

Pawlikowski, Professor of Social Ethics and Director of theCatholic-Jewish Studies Program at Catholic TheologicalUnion. His topic will be Forty Years of Christian-JewishDialogue: Past Gains and Future Challenges. Admission isfree, but reservations are requested.

To reserve for any of the above programs, call312.322.1743, or email rsvp@spertus.edu. Spertus Institute islocated at 618 S. Michigan Avenue.

By Grace Wolf

BE A FRIEND TO SOMONEWHO IS LONELY

Join the

Nursing Home VisitingProgram

The Jewish Healing Network will train, place, and sup-port members of the Jewish community who will make bi-monthly friendly visits to residents of local nursing homes.Additional training to lead Shabbat and holiday serviceswill be available.

The five-week training will take place Tuesdays, May 10- June 7, 6:45 - 8:30 p.m., at 5150 Golf Road, Skokie.All classes are free, but advanced registration is required.A ten-month volunteer commitment is requested.

Contact Rebecca Osborn at 847.568.5200 orJHNC@JFCSChicago.org to learn about this program andthe Jewish Healing Network of Chicago.

The 6th graders and theirparents celebrate Havdalah

Religious School

10 KAMII

RETREAT? WHAT A TREAT!

There is no doubt that life can easily confront us with a largevariety of ironic moments. For starters, my previous experi-ence has not given me a high tolerance for “retreats,” since Ihave generally perceived them as artificial situations. Yet nowI see myself writing a couple of paragraphs about our retreatin Wisconsin on March 4-6 with sixth graders, parents and sib-lings, Liat Shanan, Shari Granat, and Rabbi David Sandmel.

One might expect such a report to deal with a descriptionof participants, their activities, and the location where it tookplace. But instead of abiding by old formulae, let me insteadfocus on a couple of personal experiences during this shortperiod of time.

1. At the beginning of the trip, I was already concerned thatthe weekend was taking place a couple of hours away fromChicago, since I thought we would be a captive population.Reality provided a completely different perspective: Beingaway from everyday life allowed us to forget the daily stress-es and routine activities and simply to enjoy the gentle andwelcoming environment in which we found ourselves. Whata luxury!

2. Even though there were some structured activities (some forkids, some for parents, many for all), our interactions led todeeper knowledge about each other (kids and adults alike).While this was perhaps the result of our having a commongoal (the B’nei Mitzvah process we are starting with ourkids), perhaps more importantly, it was due to everyone’sopen and friendly disposition, which made the processmeaningful and interesting.

3. The kids had ample opportunity to have fun together. Inaddition, they also had the opportunity to share the experi-ence of belonging to a friendly and welcoming group where“ironically” their parents were included.

Interestingly, in some of the paper-work that we received prior to theevent, the “retreat” wasreferred to as “chavayah.”This term cannot bemore adequate since itmeans “good experi-ence.” Indeed, it was awonderful experiencethat I hope others canenjoy in the years tocome.

Ana Solodkin, parent

The sixth grade retreat was a wonderful time for parentsand students alike to get to know each other. The two-dayschedule was packed with time for fun and time for work.There were several study sessions but plenty of free time anda sports center for enjoyment. Along with the sports center,there is a dining hall and the alumni center, where we had mostof the activities and where the adults slept. We slept in a dif-ferent building nearby, the Health Center. The town ofOconomowoc is close at hand for every need, in particulargood-tasting water. Food is good and plentiful, and the OSRUIcampus is a wonderful place to spend your weekend.

Robert Meyer, 6th grade student

It’s all a bit too much for Ezra Israelsohn

11MAY 2005

Jewish Learning

IN HYDE PARK/KENWOODSunday, May 15

Singing! Walking! Community!

Kids! Adults!

Walkers! Strollers! Runners! Volunteers!

This year, we will show our solidarity with a localHyde Park/Kenwood walk. The walk will begin at KAMIsaiah Israel at 10:00 a.m. with joyful singing, a littlenosh, and a kickoff of the walk with a massive blowingof the shofars from the sanctuary steps. Cantor Bard,the KAMII Kids’ Choir, and students in our ReligiousSchool will begin the day with a spirited song session onthe steps. Everyone who has a shofar should bring it forthis great community event (we will lock up your shofarin the office so that you don’t have to worry about it dur-ing the walk).

We will then walk 5.7 kilometers through the com-munity in honor or Israel’s 57th anniversary, and end atRodfei Zedek, where we will be entertained by BethSchafer, whose writing and voice are surpassed only byher guitar playing, and enjoy lunch together in the park.Of course, all registrants receive an Israel Solidarity Dayt-shirt.

We need walkers, runners, and strollers! We also needvolunteers to help with registration, greeting, t-shirt andflag distribution, route assistance, lunch distribution, andclean-up. Interested? Please call the office.

Monday, May 16, at 7:30 p.m.Amos Oz, A Tale of Love and DarknessLeader: Grace Wolf

Nili Gold, professor of Hebrew literature at the Universityof Pennsylvania says, “Oz has just come out with one of themost important works written in Hebrew, or written in gener-al, for our time.” “This memoir/family history brims over withriches: metaphors and poetry, drama and comedy, failure andsuccess, unhappy marriages and a wealth of idiosyncratic

characters. . . . Though set mostly during the author’s child-hood in Jerusalem of the 1940s and 50s, the tale is epic inscope, following his ancestors back to Odessa and to Rovno in19th-century Ukraine, and describing the anti-Semitism andZionist passions that drove them with their families toPalestine in the early 1930s.” (Publishers Weekly)

Note: Aharon Appelfeld’s talk scheduled for Tuesday,May 3, has been cancelled.

If you have any questions about the Book Club, pleasecall Grace Wolf at 773.684.0047.

THE BOOK CLUBJOIN US FOR LIVELY DISCUSSIONS – EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

We encourage you to drop in and become part of this group that meets monthly in the library to discuss books of Jewish interest.Each session is led by a group member. Try it: you’ll like it!

LUNCH AND LEARN

Now, a choice of locations! Bring a bag lunch…

We’ll supply the coffee and conversation.

Hyde Park Lunch and Learn

Wednesday, May 11, Noon – 1:30 p.m.

KAM Isaiah Israel

WHAT IS SACRED, WHAT IS JEWISH IN SACRED MUSIC?

Cantor Deborah Bard

Downtown Lunch and Learn

Wednesday, May 25, Noon – 1:00 p.m.

One East Wacker Drive, Suite 2400(Due to security requirements of the building,

you must RSVP to the office by April 26)

Rabbi Sandmel will lead a discussion on articles from the April issue of Sh’ma.

Shabbat Services

PERIODICALPOSTAGE

PAIDAT

CHICAGO, IL

Kehilath Anshe Maarav Isaiah Israel Congregation(USPS) (289-000) published monthly from Augustto June, free to the membership, by KehilathAnshe Maarav Isaiah Israel Congregation, 1100 E.Hyde Park Blvd., Chicago, IL 60615. PeriodicalsPostage paid at Chicago, IL. Postmaster: Pleasesend changes to Kehilath Anshe Maarav IsaiahIsrael Congregation, 1100 E. Hyde Park Blvd.,Chicago, IL 60615.©KAM Isaiah Israel Congregation, 2005

K.A.M. ISAIAH ISRAELCongregationFounded in 1847

1100 E. Hyde Park Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60615Telephone 773.924.1234

Fax: 773.924.1238info@kamii.orgwww.kamii.org

David B. Midgley...........................................................PresidentDavid Fox Sandmel, Ph.D.................................................. RabbiArnold Jacob Wolf................................................Rabbi EmeritusDeborah B. Bard............................................................. CantorLiat Shanan ................................. Director of Religious EducationFran Gordon.......................................... Nursery School DirectorSandy Lieberman............................................ Executive DirectorSusan Blumberg ................................................................Editor

May 2005 Vol. 34, No. 10

Shabbat Kedoshim: Leviticus 19:1 – 20:27Friday, May 6

Congregational Potluck Shabbat Dinner at 6:00 p.m.Family Shabbat Service at 7:00 p.m.

We will honor our Religious School teachers.The Kids’ Choir will sing.

We will celebrate the birthdays of all members born in May.Saturday, May 7, at 10:30 a.m.

Shabbat Emor: Leviticus 21:1 – 24:23Friday, May 13, at 8:00 p.m.

Parents of the Confirmation Class will conduct the service.Shara Kronmal and Daniel Margoliash will host the

Oneg Shabbat in honor of their son, Jonathan.Saturday, May 14, at 10:30 a.m.

Jonathan Margoliash will be called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah.

Shabbat Behar: Leviticus 25:1 – 26:2Friday, May 20, at 7:30 p.m.Shabbat Confirmation Service

Parents of the Confirmands will host the Oneg Shabbat in honor of their children.

Saturday, May 21, at 10:30 a.m.Adam Gelman will be called to the

Torah as a Bar Mitzvah.

Shabbat Bechukotai: Leviticus 26:3 – 27:34Friday, May 27, at 8:00 p.m.

Rabbi Sandmel will lead Ask the Rabbi -- Your Questions, His Answers.

Saturday, May 28, at 10:30 a.m.

Torah Study at 9:30 a.m. every Shabbat morning.Transportation to Shabbat evening services is always available. Please call the office.