Anticipating Fall While Celebrating Summer at Congregation Or Shalom

On Friday, August 1, a special Shabbat in the Park service will be held on Vernon Hills’ Century Park island including a B.Y.O. picnic dinner. The evening, available free to the community, will begin with the dinner at 6 p.m. and worship at 7 p.m. Bring family and friends to join the celebration. An ice cream oneg will follow the service. Children celebrating birthdays in August will receive a special birthday blessing and are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped gift to donate to a child in need. Bring blankets, lawn chairs, Shabbat candles and holders, along with anything else necessary to make this a fun, memorable service. In case of inclement weather, the service will be held in the temple.

One of Congregation Or Shalom’s many community service activities is the Job Network Group. The August meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 20, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The speaker for this meeting will be Mia Young, founder of MB Personnel and Screening, Ltd., who will discuss “Getting into the mind of a hiring manager.” On Wednesday, September 17, the speaker will be Bill Burnett, author of The Peak Interview, who will discuss “Effective interviewing techniques.” These and other Job Search Networking meetings meet at the temple and are free to anyone who is under- or unemployed. Contact Sue or Art at jobnetwork@orshalomlc.org for additional information or to RSVP.

Join the next meeting of the 55+ Club on Wednesday, August 20, starting at 7 p.m. and
hear the compelling story of how first-time author, Steve Richards, began a project which became known as Sitting On Top of the World. This story of brothers, Kurt (Walker) Wagner and Heinz Wagner, who, in Nazi Germany, lived within blocks of each other, but knew nothing of each other. After their Jewish mother and Christian father who became a Nazi divorced, they were further divided by the Holocaust, with one brother raised as a Jew and the other a Christian. Hear their heart-wrenching account of a family divided. For more information, visit sittingontopoftheworldbook.com. Annual dues for the 55+ Social Club, which is open to non-temple members, are $18 per year. For more information on the group, contact Bill at 55plus@orshalomlc.org.

One of its major annual fundraisers, Or Shalom’s annual Golf Outing and dinner will again be held at White Deer Run Golf Course, 250 W. Gregg’s Parkway in Vernon Hills. This year’s event will be held on Thursday, August 28, starting with registration at 10:30 a.m. A shotgun start and golf will commence at 12 p.m., followed by dinner -- including raffle prizes and a silent auction, starting at 5 p.m. The fee for a single golfer is $180, with a special early bird rate of $150. The fee for a foursome is $720, with a special early bird rate of $600. Early Bird registration must be received and paid by Thursday, July 31, 2014. These fees include 18 holes of golf, cart, range balls, a box lunch and dinner. For anyone who is not a golfer but would still like to join the festivities, the dinner price is $50 per person. Sponsorship opportunities also are available; these start at $180.

Other popular offerings are a free discussion of Current Events being held at the temple on Wednesday, September 3, starting at 10 a.m., which is open to the community, and Quilting for Tzedakah (charity), which will take place on Monday, September 8, starting at 9:30 a.m.

September’s Simchat Shabbat service will be held on Friday, September 5, at the temple. Celebrate your birthday, anniversary or other life-cycle event with the congregation at this special monthly service. A Young Children’s Service will begin at 6 p.m., and is a great way to meet other young families, Introduce children to worship, enjoy a story with the rabbi and schmooze and nosh during the oneg (reception) that follows. Children with birthdays during September will receive a special birthday blessing, and are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped gift to donate to a child in need. This and all services are open to the community. The adult service begins at 7:30 p.m., and includes discussions led by the rabbi or a guest speaker.

In honor of the approaching High Holidays, a special S’lichot Service will be held on Saturday, September 20, at 10 p.m. High Holiday service dates, times and ticket information can be found at http://orshalomlc.org/worship/high-holy-days

Located at 21 Hawthorn Parkway, in Vernon Hills, Congregation Or Shalom’s mission is to meet the diverse spiritual, educational and cultural needs of its congregants and the local Jewish community and welcomes interfaith families in all facets of temple life.

For additional information or to RSVP to any of these or future activities, contact Tanya at tzivin@orshalomlc.org, or at 847-362-1948, or visit www.orshalomlc.org.