All posts by Leslie Cook

Adult Education, Rabbi Tom's Classes

Learn with Rabbi Tom Wednesdays, Sundays

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Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Tom
Wednesdays, 2:00 pm

Explore Jewish history through the lens of the erratic, the unpredictable, the fascinating, and the truly inspiring.

Drop in whenever your schedule permits: for a single session or every week. Please bring your own veggie/dairy lunch.

The Jewish Way with Rabbi Tom
Sundays, 11:00 am

For almost four thousand years, Jews have influenced and inspired radial ideas, theologies, philosophies, and entire cultures throughout the world. And we have only just begun!

Learn about and experience the many faces of Judaism with Rabbi Tom on Sunday mornings at MCJC. Find those touchpoints of meaning and memory-making that Judaism offers.

Drop in whenever your schedule permits: for a single session or every week.

For more information on either of these classes, please contact Rabbi Tom at: rabbi@mcjconline.org or 815.455.1810.

Wednesday sessions often meet at Panera in Crystal Lake. Check MCJC’s calendar and e-nouncements for schedule and location specifics.

Upcoming

MCJC Week of April 16, 2019

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For more information about any of these listings, please visit our website, the provided links or the MCJC Calendar at mcjconline.org/events.

If you have not yet signed up for the MCJC Seder, there’s still time to sign up online! We extended the online reservation and payment deadline to April 17.

Wednesday, April 17 – DEADLINE TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE AT THE 2ND NIGHT SEDER
1:00 pm: NO Lunch and Learn
2:00 pm: 4-Part Passover Learning Series – Session 3 meets at Panera Bread, 6000 Northwest Hwy, Crystal Lake, IL 60014. RSVP here.
4:30 pm: Religious School
6:15 pm:  Ritual Committee meeting

Friday, April 19
6:30 pm: Passover First Night Seder  — NO Community Shabbat Potluck Dinner/Services – We’ll see you at MCJC’s 2nd Night Seder.

Saturday, April 20
9:30 am: Shabbat Morning Services & Torah Discussion
6:00 pm: MCJC Community Passover Second Night Seder

Sunday, April 21
9:30 am: NO Religious School
11:00 am: NO Adult Education

Monday, April 22
6:00 pm: Communications Committee Meeting (Panera Bread, Crystal Lake, Meeting Room)

Wednesday, April 24
1:00 pm: NO Lunch and Learn
2:00 pm: 4-Part Passover Learning Series – Session 4 meets at Panera Bread, 6000 Northwest Hwy, Crystal Lake, IL 60014. RSVP here.
4:30 pm: Religious School
6:00 pm: MCJC-sponsored PADS Dinner

Friday, April 26
6:30 pm:  Ilene Kaye and Paula Eskoz are working on a special MCJC Friday evening service in cooperation with Rabbi Tom. The service will incorporate some of their old favorites from Siddur Sim Shalom — which might be favorites of yours. A light, kosher for Passover Kiddush follows the service. (If you can bring veggie or dairy food to share, please let us know what you’ll bring at kiddush@mcjconline.org)

Saturday, April 27
9:30 am: Shabbat Morning Services, YIZKOR & Torah Discussion. Extended Kiddush following morning service to include light fare, Zemirot, Talmud Torah (If you can bring veggie or dairy kosher for Passover food to share, please let us know what you’ll bring at kiddush@mcjconline.org)

Sunday, April 28
9:30 am: Religious School
11:00 am: Adult Education
1:30 pm: In commemoration of Yom HaShoah, Religious School students and MCJC families visit McHenry County’s only Holocaust Memorial and hear Storyteller Jim May. (See flyer and driving directions outside the sanctuary.)

SAVE THE DATE

Sunday, May 19 – MCJC Annual Meeting & School Closing Day Picnic – more information coming soon!

Services, Shabbat & Holidays

A Special Shabbat Service Friday evening, April 26

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Paula Eskoz and Ilene Kaye are working with Rabbi Tom to create a special Friday evening service filled with beautiful and familiar melodies. Paula and Ilene are creating this service as they remember their fathers and say Kaddish for them on the occasion of their Yahrzeits.

At 6:30 pm on April 26, we will use our faithful friend and prayerbook, Siddur Sim Shalom, to welcome Shabbat with such wonderful prayers as Shalom Aleichem, Yedid Nefesh, Mizmor l’David, L’kha Dodi, Mourners’ Kaddish, the formal Barkhu, some beautiful English readings, Ahavat Olam, the Sh’ma, Hatzi Kaddish, Silent Amidah, Shalom Rav, the conclusion, Kaddish Shalem, Aleinu, and the Kaddish. We will end with Yigdal.

Ilene will work with Rabbi Tom to put together this beautiful service. Please come to share and help create an extra special evening. Services will begin at 6:30 pm.

We will enjoy a Kiddush after the service (If you can bring veggie or dairy food to share, please let us know what you’ll bring via kiddush@mcjconline.org).

Religious School

Religious School News Week of April 9, 2019

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It was good to see everyone back from Spring Break, and now that we’re beginning to feel a little warmth in the air, our thoughts turn to Passover and other Spring holidays.

Wednesday, April 10 – Religious School for grades 3-7.

Sunday, April 14 – Religious School for all grades. A special Passover activity will surprise and delight you.

While you’re there on the 14th . . .
Check out MCJC’s

Mother’s Day Gift Boutique

10:30 am to 1:30 pm

There will be jewelry, handmade Kippot, woodwork, and an assortment of other beautiful items.

Vendors will provide raffle prizes, so plan to take your chances to win one! Raffle tickets are $1 each, 6 tickets for $5.

If you can volunteer some time, please get in touch with Linda Blatchford at membership@mcjconline.org.

Would you like to be a vendor? It’s not too late if you act quickly. Visit this page, sign up and pay your vendor fee.

On Sunday, April 28, MCJC will observe Yom HaShoah.  After Religious School for all grades, families will meet at 1:30 at Spring Grove Park to hear storyteller Jim May talk about McHenry County’s only Holocaust Memorial.  MCJC has a strong connection with the Memorial since member Nancy Deborah Wicker and Max Gimpel, father of Al Gimpel, helped to create this beautiful tribute to survivor Lisa Derman.  Please join us for a memorable afternoon.  The flyer and directions are located just outside the sanctuary.

Upcoming

Upcoming at MCJC Week of April 9, 2019

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For more information about any of these listings, please visit our website, the provided links or the MCJC Calendar at mcjconline.org/events.

Wednesday, April 10
1:00 pm: NO Lunch and Learn
2:00 pm: 4-Part Passover Learning Series – Session 2 meets at MCJC. RSVP here.
4:30 pm: Religious School

Friday, April 12 – DEADLINE TO REGISTER FOR MCJC 2nd NIGHT SEDER
6:30 pm: Community Shabbat Potluck Dinner/Services (If you can bring veggie or dairy food to share, please let us know what you’ll bring at kiddush@mcjconline.org)

Saturday, April 13
9:30 am: Shabbat Morning Services & Torah Discussion (Shabbat HaGadol). Extended Kiddush following morning service to include light fare, Zemirot, Talmud Torah (If you can bring veggie or dairy food to share, please let us know what you’ll bring at kiddush@mcjconline.org)

4:30 pm: Ari and Noah Shamash B’nai Mitzvah Service with a Community Havdala Program and Reception

Sunday, April 14
8:00 am: Board Meeting
9:30 am: Religious School
10:30 am: Mother’s Day Boutique – Vendors check HERE.
11:00 am: Adult Education

Wednesday, April 17
1:00 pm: NO Lunch and Learn
2:00 pm: 4-Part Passover Learning Series – Session 3 meets at Panera Bread, 6000 Northwest Hwy, Crystal Lake, IL 60014. RSVP here.
4:30 pm: Religious School
6:15pm:  Ritual Committee meeting

Friday, April 19
6:30 pm: Passover First Night Seder  — NO Community Shabbat Potluck Dinner/Services – We’ll see you at MCJC’s 2nd Night Seder.

Saturday, April 20
9:30 am: Shabbat Morning Services & Torah Discussion
6:00 pm: MCJC Community Passover Second Night Seder – Please sign up online now. Reservation deadline: April 12.

Sunday, April 21
9:30 am: NO Religious School
11:00 am: NO Adult Education

Wednesday, April 24
1:00 pm: NO Lunch and Learn
2:00 pm: 4-Part Passover Learning Series – Session 4 meets at Panera Bread, 6000 Northwest Hwy, Crystal Lake, IL 60014. RSVP here.
4:30 pm: Religious School
6:00 pm: MCJC-sponsored PADS Dinner

Friday, April 26
6:30 pm: Ilene Kaye and Paula Eskoz are arranging a special MCJC Friday evening service in cooperation with Rabbi Tom on the occasion of their fathers’ Yahrzeits. Kiddush follows the service (If you can bring kosher for Passover veggie or dairy food to share, please let us know what you’ll bring at kiddush@mcjconline.org).

Saturday, April 27
9:30 am: Shabbat Morning Services, YIZKOR & Torah Discussion. Extended Kiddush following morning service to include light fare, Zemirot, Talmud Torah (If you can bring kosher for Passover veggie or dairy food to share, please let us know what you’ll bring at kiddush@mcjconline.org)

Sunday, April 28
9:30 am: Religious School
11:00 am: Adult Education
1:30 pm: In commemoration of Yom HaShoah, Religious School students and MCJC families visit McHenry County’s only Holocaust Memorial and hear Storyteller Jim May. (See flyer and driving directions outside the sanctuary.)

SAVE THE DATE

Sunday, May 19 – MCJC Annual Meeting & School Closing Day Picnic – more information coming soon!

Social Action

MCJC-Sponsored PADS Dinner Coming Up April 24

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This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is PADS_lg.jpgBy Bruce Weiss

MCJC members prepared and served PADS dinners for the homeless at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Woodstock on February 27 and March 27. We fed twenty-three PADS guests and eight overnight PADS volunteers on February 27 and twenty-eight PADS guests and six overnight PADS volunteers on March 27.

The meals were delicious, and it was a joy for the MCJC meal servers to see how much the PADS guests and volunteers enjoyed and appreciated them.

Special thanks go to the following individuals for providing food for  the February and March dinners:   Gene Lindow, Leslie Cook, Briana & Elsie Salgado, Esther Kaplan, Ellen Morton, Iza Celewicz, Kim Solomon Dooley, and Marian and Bruce Weiss.

Special thanks also go out to the following individuals for helping to serve the February and March dinners:  Linda and Jerry Trachsler, Iza Celewicz, Briana and Elsie Salgado, Kim and Logan Solomon Dooley, and Bruce Weiss.

The next and last MCJC-sponsored PADS dinner for the 2018-2019 winter season is Wednesday, April 24 at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1320 Dean Street in Woodstock, between 6:00 and 8:00 pm.

The entree for the April 24 MCJC PADS dinner is meatloaf, which Gene Lindow will provide. If you would like to provide a side dish for the April 24 MCJC-sponsored PADS dinner or would like to help serve the meal, please contact MCJC Social Action chairperson Bruce Weiss at socialaction@mcjconline.org  or 815-338-2721.

MCJC is known throughout McHenry County as a congregation who helps people in need.

Upcoming

Calling all Crafters . . . to our MCJC Mother’s Day Boutique

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Are you looking for a wonderful venue to showcase and sell your handmade items just in time for Mother’s Day? How about our

MCJC Mother’s Day Boutique
Sunday, April 14, 2019
10:30 – 1:30 pm

taking place at:
McHenry County Jewish Congregation
8617 Ridgefield Rd.
Crystal Lake, IL 60012

If you would like a table, please register with us by filling in and submitting the information below. You may make your payment with the button below this form or with the EXPRESS MOTHER’S DAY BOUTIQUE VENDOR PAYMENT in the right column of each page of our website.

INFORMATION FOR VENDORS

MCJC is planning our Mother's Day Boutique, and we invite you to participate as a vendor.

The event is Sunday, April 14 from 10:30 am - 1:30 pm at McHenry County Jewish Congregation, 8617 Ridgefield Rd., Crystal Lake, IL 60012.

  • Setup time is after 9:30 am.
  • The fee is $20, and you provide one raffle item.
  • Your fee entitles you to one 8 ft. table and a 10' x 5' space.
  • Items should be handmade.
  • Important note: We cannot accept any more jewelry vendors. That item category is filled.
  • If you bring food with you, please bring only veggie or dairy items into the building.

MCJC will place announcements for the Boutique in a few community newspapers, in our weekly congregational e-nouncements and on our website.

We look forward to your participation. For more information, please contact Linda Blatchford at membership@mcjconline.org.

If you are paying your $20 vendor fee online, use the Payment button below or the EXPRESS MOTHER’S DAY BOUTIQUE VENDOR PAYMENT button in the right column of every page of the site. Your credit card or PayPal payment is secure with PayPal.

If you plan to pay via check, please write your $20 check to MCJC and enter "Boutique Vendor" to the Memo area of your check. Mail to:

McHenry County Jewish Congregation
8617 Ridgefield Rd.
Crystal Lake, IL 60012

BE SURE TO SUBMIT YOUR FORM BELOW.

 

MOTHER’S DAY BOUTIQUE VENDOR PAYMENT

Amount: USD

Upcoming

Mother’s Day Boutique at MCJC Sunday, April 14 . . . find the perfect gift!

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Are you looking for the perfect gift for mom?
What better place to find it than at our

MCJC Mother’s Day Boutique
Sunday, April 14, 2019
10:30 – 1:30 pm

Crafters and other vendors will showcase unique handmade items at
McHenry County Jewish Congregation
8617 Ridgefield Rd.
Crystal Lake, IL 60012

Vendors will also provide raffle prizes, so try your luck! Raffle tickets are $1 each, 6 tickets for $5.

We have beautiful jewelry, handmade kippot, woodwork, and an assortment of other beautiful items.

Make mom happy with the perfect gift.

VOLUNTEER REQUEST

If you can help with vendors when they arrive, raffle ticket sales or setting up prizes, please contact Linda Blatchford at membership@mcjconline.org

WANT TO BE A VENDOR?

Register and pay your fee here.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Linda Blatchford, membership@mcjconline.org