COVID-19 Response

TWO MINUTES OF TORAH

Check out Rabbi Steve's two minute take on the weekly Torah portion. Read more about Tazria M'tzora here.

MAZEL TOV...

...to Rex Paster, child of Ali and Louis Paster, on becoming a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, April 25.
...to Dena Kandelman, child of Madalyn and Steven Kandelman, on becoming a Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, April 25.

TWO GREAT WAYS TO CELEBRATE ISRAEL

Yom Ha'atzmaut (Israeli Independence Day) begins Tuesday evening. Am Shalom is honored to participate in two streaming celebrations, and we hope you will join us!

Yom Ha'atzmaut Across America
Sunday, April 26 at 1:00pm
Our friends Hadar and Sheldon are hosting this live streaming event with communities across the country, to benefit IsraAID and Feeding America. Tune in at https://sheldonlow.com/yhaalive. Password is acrossamerica72. Test that it works now (there won't be tech support on Sunday), then pull up a couch and join the celebration! This link is just for us; please do not share it or post it.

Film Premiere: Sustainable Nation
Streaming now through May 2
Celebrate Israel through film. The majesty and beauty of water is at the heart of this powerfully moving documentary that follows three individuals who are selflessly doing their part to bring sustainable water solutions to an increasingly thirsty planet. Using solutions developed in water-deprived Israel, they are working to change the status quo of a world where one in 10 people lacks access to safe drinking water. Watch the film here.

FOOD DRIVE (LAST CALL!)

Since March 16, visitors to Lakeview Pantry’s food programs have increased by more than 140 percent. Demand for its social services programs, which serve 40 different zip codes in Chicago, has risen by 30 percent. Help us restock their shelves - the donation bin is just outside of the main temple entrance, and it will be there through the end of the month. Any unopened, unexpired, shelf stable donations are welcome; most needed items are peanut butter, canned tuna, canned vegetables, oatmeal and canned fruit. 

DESIGN CONTEST

Calling all artists and creatives! Submit a design for an Am Shalom yard sign, and your art may be chosen for display in the yards of our members. 

Your artwork may be done by hand or by design program. It must include our name and a tagline that you feel demonstrates the spirit of our community at this time. All ages are welcome to submit. Please send your artwork to Alyssa Latala at alatala@amshalom.com by Thursday, April 30 at 5:00pm.

YOM HASHOAH

It's an Am Shalom tradition to place yellow flags on our front lawn each year in observance of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. This year, some of our Religious School families had the honor of hearing from survivor Beatrice Muchman, and then took home our yellow flags to display in their own yards. Thank you to all the families who shared photos and videos of your flags. Here's a video montage to show how Am Shalom remembers this year.

VIRTUAL GATHERING 
Click here for Virtual School and Youth info

*Need help connecting to Am Shalom's Livestream or Zoom calls?
Please contact Alyssa Latala at alatala@amshalom.com or 847.606.5168.

*Would you like a hard copy of Mishkan T'filah Prayer Book or Torah Commentary? Please fill out this form.

You can find a digital Mishkan T'filah prayer book here. It is also on our livestream page, along with a link to this week's yahrzeit list. Click here for the weekly Torah portion. Our complete Zoom and livestream schedule, along with instructions for joining the gatherings, can be found here.

GETTING IN TOUCH

We are here for you. You'll find the cell phone numbers for our staff below. We've also created a non-emergency contact form on our website, if you'd like to reach us that way. 

If this crisis has caused you economic hardship, and you'd like to talk about your Am Shalom membership commitment, please contact Zoe Sherman at zoes@amshalom.com or 224-805-9400.

Rabbi Steven Stark Lowenstein - 847-630-6108
Rabbi Phyllis Sommer - 224-619-6807
Rabbi Pam Mandel - 561-886-8186
Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz - 917-841-8385
Cantor Julie Staple - 317-418-4644
Laura Horn, Director of Operations - 847-772-8822
Alyssa Latala, Director of Engagement - 847-606-5168
Zoe Sherman, Director of Financial Management - 224-805-9400

HEALING & HOPE PLAYLIST

From the Am Shalom Sound Sanctuary, a playlist of some of our congregation's favorite songs of healing and hope. Our albums can always be streamed in our Sound Sanctuary.