Notes
From Amy
Incorporating Meditation
Into Our Lives
Last year a new tradition began for me. The
A.C.C. (American Conference of Cantors) initiated a Yom Iyun,
a designated nation-wide day of study for cantors in the Reform
movement.
This year’s Yom Iyun was held April 2
at Temple Jeremiah. The book selected for study was Be
Still and Get Going by Rabbi Alan Lew. I read the book
which is available on Amazon.com. It's worth adding to your
library and it gave me much to think about.
Rabbi Lew is a rabbi and meditation guru from
San Francisco. In the book he encourages the practice of meditation.
He feels meditation leads to finding self, Judaism and God.
He uses Torah, Talmud, Midrash, personal stories and examples
from other religions to better explain this process. At the
end of each chapter Rabbi Lew suggests meditation exercises.
Meditation is a new exercise for me. Since I
read the book, I have been trying to include 15 to 20 minutes
of meditation in my morning routine. Coincidentally, my youngest
son Andrew is taking a stress management/ meditation class
at Indiana University. (I think it would have been cheaper
to buy him a copy of Lew's book than pay tuition at IU …
but that's a different article!)
Anyway, Andrew and I have compared notes and
we've both marveled at the effect meditation has on our lives.
From situations like stage fright to a dreaded dental procedure,
we've found that daily meditation has helped us deal with
stress. This whole process has been a bonus for me: the concept
of a Yom Iyun, the opportunity to study with colleagues, the
discovery of Rabbi Lew's book and the introduction to meditation
exercises and making them part of my daily routine.
May we all find the time in our busy lives to
nourish our souls so we can feel grounded for the stressful
moments in our days!
- Cantor Amy Zussman
- Re-printed from the May, 2008 Covenant
Andrew and "The
Hooshirs" at the White House
Read about the amazing time Amy son's Andrew
and his acapella group - The Hooshirs - enjoyed performing
at President Bush's Chanukah Party at the White House in December,
2006
Need a little help singing the blessings before
and after the reading of the torah?
Here they are in mp3 format:
Blessing
before the reading of the torah.
Blessing
after the reading of the torah.
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Upcoming Events
Chai Society
"Broadway
Show Tunes"
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
12:00 pm
Temple Jeremiah's Brotherhood and Sisterhood present a musical
fundraiser with the senior concert band, "New Horizons,"
playing funds from such musicals as "My Fair Lady"
and "Oklahoma."
Funds from this concert will go toward purchasing a compact
fire truck for Israel as part of the Jewish National Fund's
program on behalf of Israel's Fire and Rescue Services.
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Modeled after our popular Decades program, Cantor Amy Zussman
and other cantors and musicians offer a Chai Society concert
every month along with lunch. The $18 cost covers lunch, program
and a donation to MAZON: The Jewish Response to Hunger.
Choir
Adult Choir
Our Temple Jeremiah Adult Choir sings once a month at Shabbat
services.
Contact Cantor
Amy Zussman if you would like to join.
Junior Choir
The Junior Choir is open to Temple Jeremiah 3rd to 6th graders
who like to sing.
Retreats
Junior Choir members enjoy a special treat every year as
they join with members from other Greater Chicago Reform congregations
for a weekend of services and music.
Click above to learn more about past Retreats and other Junior
Choir events.
School of Jewish
Rock
Rehearsal Dates
Sundays (when Religious School is in session)
10:45 - 11:15 a.m.
Performance Dates
Family Shabbat Services on the 3rd Friday of
the month
7:30 pm
Temple Jeremiah's School of Jewish Rock, under
the direction of Alan Goodis, performs at various services
and temple events. It is open to 3rd to 6th graders who play
an instrument, sing or have an interest in music.
To learn more, contact Alan
Goodis with your child's name, grade, contact information,
instrument and information on their musical background.
Depicted here is the group performing at the
Street Fair on the last day of school - May 20, 2007.
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Past Programs
Past Chai Society Concerts
Information on past Chai Society programs is available by
clicking on the links below:
"Happy
Birthday to You, Israel"
April 9, 2008
"Irving
Berlin: America's Songwriter"
March 12, 2008
"Three
Sopranos and a Wedding"
February 13, 2008
"The
Boomer Babes"
January 16, 2008
"The
Cantors from Chai-land Park"
December 12, 2007
"Let's
Pull Out All The Stops"
May, 9, 2007
"The
Shtetl Wedding: How We Sang, Danced & Celebrated"
April 11, 2007
"The
Rothschilds" with Bernie Dean
March 14, 2007
"Love Songs"
February 14, 2007
Broadway
Musicals and Their Creators: A Multimedia Presentation - Corky
Troy Presents Oklahoma!
January 10, 2007
"The
Cantors Sing Songs From Broadway"
December 13, 2006
Decades Programs
Click here to enlarge
Once a year Cantor Amy Zussman and Rabbi Cohen, accompanied
by David Lornson, present the music, headlines and nostalgia
of a different era of time. The programs, which include a
catered lunch, draw hundreds of people throughout the community.
They are made possible through generous donations to the
Temple Jeremiah Music Fund.
Past Decade Concerts
Information on past Decade programs is available by clicking
on the links below:
The Decade of
1900 - 1909
November 8, 2007
The Decade
of the 50's
October 26, 2006
The Decade of
the 10's
December 8, 2005
The Decade
of the 40's
November 8, 2004
The
Decade of the 30's
November 19, 2003
The
Decade of the 20's
November 13, 2002
Other Past Programs
Musical Shabbat:
V'shamru
February 9, 2007
Cantor Amy Zussman, accompanied by the Adult Choir and David
Lornson, presented a sermon in song on the Shabbat prayer,
V'shamru.
Family
Concert with
Kol Sasson
February 4, 2007
Temple Jeremiah presented an hour-long concert with the dynamic
trio, Kol Sasson.
"Caleb
and the Spies"
September 8, 2006
Congregant Marc Mayer and his band, "Caleb and the Spies,"
made their debut performance at a Shabbat Service.
The
Harmony of Israel in Song
April 30, 2006
Temple Jeremiah hosted a spectacular concert of Jewish music
featuring the voices of the American Conference of Cantors
(ACC) and the Guild of Temple Musicians, along with Kol Zimrah,
the Jewish Community Singers. Proceeds benefited the Leo Baeck
School in Haifa.
Concert
with Rabbi Joe Black
February 19, 2006
 Children
and adults alike enjoyed the musical talents of Rabbi Joe
Black, a vibrant voice in today's contemporary Jewish music
scene.
Robyn Helzner
Trio Family Concert
January 29, 2006
This acclaimed ensemble brings the world of Jewish music
to audiences throughout North America and worldwide.
North Suburban Synagogue Beth El Men's Club 35th Anniversary
Spring Music
Festival
"All You Need is... Love!"
June 2, 2005
Beth El
The community enjoyed a dynamic, 80-minute celebration in
four languages of romantic love, as well as the love of Israel,
Judaism and its history and people. Special guest was Cantor
Amy Zussman.
A Concert of Jewish
Music
February 27, 2005
This concert featured the Kol Zimrah Choir (Jewish Community
Singers) and Cantor Amy Zussman performing Ben Steinberg's
L'cha Anu Shira.
Concert with
Rick Recht
January 30, 2005
Top-touring musician Rick Recht brought his unique blend
of Jewish music to Temple Jeremiah for a family concert.
Shabbat
Shira
February 6, 2004,
January 21, 2005 and
February 10, 2006
Temple Jeremiah celebrates a special Shabbat of music to
commemorate the Jews' crossing the Red Sea. Moses and his
sister, Miriam, led the Jews in song, praising God.
"An Evening of Music
with Marvin Hamlisch"
January 25, 2003
Oscar-winning songwriter was the featured performer at this
temple fundraiser.
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