2009 Women’s Seder                          

Join us or the Women’s Seder, bridging all generations of women together for an extraordinary afternoon!

This year's theme is "Let All Who Are Hungry...." and the will once again be led by Rabbi Heather Altman and our Ritual Director Debby Lewis.

The cost of this event is $45 (by 2/18) and $50 (after 2/18).
includes a Haggadah and light dairy meal). We are asking that all participents bring one non-perishable food item to donate.

Questions? Please call Laura Baruch at 773-868-5139 or lbaruch@ansheemet.org.

Download the invitation here! 

Book Club

We are women seeking to discuss literature and broaden our reading repertoire.  Now in our sixth year, we have been brought together to share our insights with the guidance of Rachel Jacobsohn, our renowned facilitator.  Rachel has taken us from the hostage setting of our first novel, Bel Canto, to the tangled mysteries within an accident victims mind in our most recent reading, The Echo Maker.  Our discussions have been provocative, challenging, and humorous.   We examined Cormac McCarthy’s The Road as a metaphor for The Torah.  And we recently paid homage to Kurt Vonnegut by revisiting Slaughterhouse Five, which still proved to be a “classic.”

We divide the year into three books per “semester.”  Anyone is welcomed to attend, but it is highly recommended that the book is read prior to attending the session.  We meet the first Thursday of the designated month unless we have a conflict with the holidays or scheduling.  There is a charge to cover Rachel’s fee.  Please contact Gail Kahn or Judy Metzger for more details at hgmet1@aol.com or gmkahn@aol.com or leave a message on the Sisterhood voicemail at (773) 868-5143.

Upcoming 2008 sessions begin at 7:30 PM             

RSVP required. The dates are:

 - September 4: Sweetwater, by Roxana Robinson

 - November 6:  Book TBD

 - December 4:  The Blue Flower, by Penelope Fitzgeral

College Connection

Our mission is to reach out to those member’s children who are studying outside of Chicago, provide the children with reminders of Jewish traditions, and  help them continue to feel a part of the Anshe Emet community.  Volunteer parents meet, shop, and put together boxes for Rosh Hashanah, Chanukah, Purim, and Passover.  The items are in accordance with Kashrut, are meaningful, interesting, and just fun.  Though there is no charge for this program, we graciously accept donations.  Please contact Gail Kahn at gmkahn@aol.com or Denise Sprague at ematova@aol.com or leave a message at (773) 868-5143.

Summer Job Bank for College Students

Securing summer employment, paid or unpaid, is a challenge for college students.  So, in an effort to lend a helping hand to college students who are members of Anshe Emet Synagogue, the Sisterhood is establishing a summer job bank.  In order to make this work, we are asking for your assistance.

 - Do you have an opportunity you could offer to a qualified student?

 - Are there projects you would like to accomplish if only you had another pair of hands or time to do them yourself?

 - Do you enjoy sharing your expertise and teaching others about your profession?

 - Do you have friends and colleagues who may be in a position to offer a student a summer opportunity?

 - Do you have a small amount of time to assist in establishing this service?

There will be no obligation to offer a position to any student who may contact a potential employer.  We hope that we can show our students that, “membership has its privileges.”  Please contact Debbie Schneider at jerev2@aol.com or leave a message at (773) 868-5143.

Chesed Committee

The Anshe Emet Chesed Committee seeks to mobilize this caring community by providing opportunities for members of all ages to participate in acts of loving kindness.  We aspire to realistically meet the needs of our community in a loving, respectful, private, and effective manner. Whether bringing over a meal provided by the Synagogue to a family with a new baby, a family during or after shiva, or helping to visit the sick, if you are interested or would like more information, please contact Paulette Freed at pfreed3180@yahoo.com or leave a message on the Sisterhood voicemail (773)-868-5143.

Night Ministry

During the last several years, Anshe Emet volunteers have shopped, cooked homemade meals, and served meals each month to Night Ministry parishioners at either the Uptown location or the Youth Outreach location at Belmont/Halsted.  We have also conducted Holiday Gift Wish List drives for the last several years, collecting small mountains of bedding, blankets, gloves, hats, scarves, and other winter gear.  This year we also supplied 50+ portable CD players for the clients at the Youth Center.  Families of children from our Religious School have supplied bottled water each summer.

For more information, please contact Janine Landow-Esser at je3@quarles.com.  Remaining 2008 Dates with opening for volunteers: August 19, November 18, and December 16 (Tuesdays)

Gift Shop

The Anshe Emet Sisterhood Bridge Gift Shop is run by volunteers for the benefit of congregants, their family and friends.  We carry a variety of Judaica to enhance your observances at home and at the Synagogue.  The Gift Ship is open on Sundays when Hebrew School is in session (mornings) and by appointment with twenty-four hours notice.  Please stop by to visit, shop, and maybe become a volunteer.  Please contact Nina Bell, manager at (773) 868-5143

Torah Fund

THE TORAH FUND IS THE FUNDRAISING ARM OF WOMEN’S LEAGUE FOR CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM THAT SUPPORTS THE JEWISH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, ZIEGLER SCHOOL OF RABBINICAL STUDIES, AND SCHECHTER INSTITUTE OF JEWISH STUDIES.

Founded in 1886 as a rabbinical school, The Jewish Theological Seminary today is the academic and spiritual center of Conservative Judaism worldwide, encompassing a world-class library and five schools: List College, H. L. Miller Cantorial School, William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education, the Graduate School, and the Rabbinical School.  JTS trains tomorrow’s religious, educational, academic, and lay leaders for the Jewish community and beyond.

Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in California was established in 1996 to fuse the academic study of Judaism with the teachings of traditional observance.  Ziegler’s ordained rabbis are serving in communities throughout North America in congregations, communal services agencies, chaplaincy programs and schools.

The Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem was established in 1984.  It is affiliated with JTS and the Masorti (Conservative) Movement.  The Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies is comprised of the Graduate School of Advanced Jewish Studies, the (Schechter) Rabbinical School, TALI Education Fund, Midreshet Yerushalayim programs, and Midrash Hadash Department of Outreach.  It is one of Israel’s leading academic centers for modern Jewish learning.

YOUR ANNUAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT THROUGH TORAH FUND DONATIONS SUPPORTS ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS.