Upcoming Events

Central Great Lakes Region Spring Conference 2018
Sunday, April 22 through Tuesday, April 24

Sisterhood is extremely honored to host the Central Great Lakes Region Spring Conference 2018 at NSS Beth El this year. Please join us as our CGLR Sisterhoods come together to learn, share, study and explore. Being the host Sisterhood gives all of our members the opportunity to experience the energy and exuberance of a Region Conference in the comforts of our own synagogue. As a Sisterhood member, attendance at Conference programs at Beth El is free, although registration is required, and meals are priced separately. 

Conference Schedule:
Conference begins Sunday afternoon, April 22 at 12:30pm and concludes Tuesday afternoon, April 24 by 1:00pm. Here are the times and descriptions of the various Conference sessions: 

Sunday, April 22
12:45pm – 2:30pm Creative Judaic Handcraft: create a lovely beaded necklace for your Torah Fund pin or to wear on its own. Cost: $10 for each necklace. 

2:45pm – 3:30pm Opening Plenary (general session for all conference attendees). Edna Schrank, CGLR President will conduct our Election of new Officers and Directors. A Keynote address will be given by Debbi Goldich our WLCJ Consultant. 

6:00pm – 9:30pm Valued Volunteer Dinner. Please join us as we honor our Valued Volunteer, Karen Weiss. Advance registration is required. Dinner is $36 per person. And consider placing an ad in our Program Book congratulating her. Ads are $18. To place an ad, contact Mary Ellen Bowers at 847-910-1080. 

Monday, April 23
9:00am – 10:00am Shacharit in Sager Beit Midrash. If you would like to participate in services (daven or read Torah), please contact Mary Ellen Bowers at 847-910-1080.

10:15am – 11:15am Breakout sessions: Choose one

•  Are there new trends in the Jewish publishing world? And what are the major Jewish literary awards? Taught by  Rachel Kamin
•  Lilith: Demoness or Heroine? Taught by Ali Drumm

11:30am – 12:45pm Torah Fund Awards Lunch. Hazzan Ben Tisser will be our guest speaker/performer.  Advanced registration is required. $18 per person. 

1:00pm – 1:45pm Rissman Family Kol Ami Museum tour
Regional artist Howard Schwartz will explain how his art is inspired by the generations of his family and will offer some historic information about those portrayed in his work. 

2:00pm – 2:45pm Matilde’s Mentionables & ISupportTheGirls – A presentation about Support the Girls by Rachael Heger, National Director of Affiliate Outreach to give us a deeper understanding of the work they do and the impact our Matilde’s Mentionables donations will have. We are collecting new and gently used bras, especially sports bras, as well as feminine hygiene products, to be donated to Cook and Lake county social service agencies and homeless shelters. There is a donation box in the Office entryway at Beth El.

Tuesday, April 24
9:30am – 11:30am Docent-led tour at Illinois Holocaust Museum, Skokie, IL
We will tour the Museum’s newest exhibition space, the Abe & Ida Cooper Survivor Stories Experience holographic theater. This new technology enables survivors to tell their personal stories and then respond to questions from the audience, inviting one-on-one “virtual conversations.” Advanced registration is required. Cost: $18 per person. 

11:45am – 12:45pm CGLR Open Board meeting and Lunch. Stay for lunch and experience a Region Board meeting. Advanced registration is required. Cost: $18 per person.

Click here to Register for Conference!

Valued Volunteer Dinner
Please join us as we honor our Valued Volunteer, Karen Weiss during dinner Sunday evening at 6:00pm in the Blumberg Auditorium. Advance registration is required, (click link above to register). Dinner is $36 per person. Please consider placing an ad in our Program Book congratulating her, as well. Ads are $18. To place an ad, use the attached adbook form.

Click here to sponsor an ad honoring Karen Weiss.

Contact Rachel Ferber at Rachel.ferber@att.net or at 847-835-6201 for more information.

Dinner with Rabbi Vernon Kurtz
Tuesday May 8, 6:00 pm

Sponsored by Sisterhood and the Men’s Club. A wonderful evening, when Beth El comes together for great company, a delicious dinner, and most importantly, an extraordinary speaker!