Newsletter

Newsletter of the Ethical Humanist Society of Chicago

April 2008

Welcome to Our Sunday Morning Programs in April

• CHRIS PLUMMER speaks on Sunday, April 6th, on “Looking at Looking: Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park.” Director of the stunning strip of sculptures along McCormick Blvd. and the North Shore Channel, Plummer will examine the criteria and “art rules” for better understanding and enjoying the “story” behind the pieces in the park and sculpture in general.

• Our Annual SPRING FESTIVAL, an intergenerational celebration of the seasonal renewal of life, is on Sunday, April 13th. The Sunday School children will present a short play and several musical numbers and distribute spring flowers in hand-painted pots to get our gardens started. After the program we’ll be treated with special pastries baked by our own members.

• JANE & JOHN BALABAN, Master Stewards for the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, speak Sunday, April 20th, on “The Care and Feeding of Urban Nature.” They will describe the challenges posed by the proximity of millions of people to the local natural environment and discuss how we can get involved in restoration projects to make sure our parks and forest preserves stay healthy and vibrant.

• ALI ABUNIMAH, noted U.S.-born journalist and author, speaks on Sunday, April 27th. His topic is “Palestine/Israel: A Single State Whose Time Has Come?” Co-founder of the online “Electronic Intifada,” Abunimah will attempt to cut through “the noise” about the dangerous conflict between Israelis and Palestinians and advance bold new proposals for ending the continuing impasse.

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Coming Activities and Events

• Our SUNDAY MORNING COLLOQUIES, led by Ken Novak, are from 9:20–10:00 a.m. In a small, nonjudgmental group, we meet early to share and examine how we live our lives. This month’s topics are Regret on Apr. 6, Redemption on Apr. 13, Purpose on Apr. 20, and Reality on Apr. 27. Each topic is coordinated with that day’s platform.

• Our FIRST FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES, hosted by Dick Carney, resumes on April 4th. We’ll see Black Orpheus (Orfeu Negro), a modern retelling of the ancient Greek legend of star-crossed lovers, Orpheus and Eurydice. Set in Rio de Janeiro during Carnival, this is a lush production with sublime music. We start promptly at 7:17 p.m.

• Our ETHICAL HUMANITIES discussion is on Sunday, April 6th, at 12:15 p.m. We’ll discuss Adele Faber’s and Elaine Mazlish’s book How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk. We’ll discuss whether this classic on parenting language helps us with effective political talk. If you’re vision-impaired, contact Ken Novak at 847-414-4314 or kennovak@gmail.com for an audio version.

• Our READERS THEATRE GROUP, led by Susan Burck, meets on the first Monday of the month, April 7th, at 7 p.m. Come and have fun. All are welcome to read a play with us. For information, call Susan at 847-729-3837.

• Our SECOND SATURDAY COFFEE HOUSE, hosted by Vicki Elberfeld, is on Saturday, April 12th, at 8:00 p.m. The program features February Sky (with traditional singer and Celtic guitarist Phil Cooper and songwriter and singer Susan Urban) and Cooper & Nelson (with Phil Cooper and singer Margaret Nelson singing traditional Scottish and Irish ballads). For this special dual concert there is a $7 minimum donation. There is no open mike this month. Moderately priced refreshments will be available.

• Our annual HUMANIST SEDER and Liberation Festival will be on Saturday, April 19th, at 5 p.m. Based on the traditional Jewish Passover, we’ll celebrate all struggles for human freedom. Members and friends of all religious backgrounds are welcome. We’ll read from our “Humanist Hagaddah,” with its universal, unorthodox outlook. We’ll enjoy a sumptuous Seder meal, with a chicken or vegetarian main course, beverages, and potluck side dishes. We’ll be led in music and song by guest artists.
Prices are $10 per person with a side dish, $20 without. Nonmembers pay another $5, seniors get a $5 discount. Children under 18 are free but are asked to help in setup and cleanup. Space is limited, so register early. Preference is given to members. For reservations and what side dish to bring, contact Ron Baiman at 708-445-9052 or baiman@sbcglobal.net.

• Our FILM DISCUSSION GROUP, led by Mike Rush and John Ungashick, meets on Monday, April 21st, at 7:15p.m. We’ve again chosen two currently playing movies. Married Life is a passionate thriller subtitled “How to murder your wife for her own good.” It was directed by Ira Sachs, with Chris Cooper, Patricia Clarkson, Pierce Brosnan, and Rachel McAdams. The Counterfeiters is a German-language survival thriller about a master forger in a Nazi concentration camp. It was directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky, with Karl Markovics, August Diehl, and David Striesow.

• Our next DOCUMENTARY FILM night is Friday, April 25th. We’ll have a double feature: War Made Easy and Leading to War. Both films examine the run up to the Iraq War and the selling of a preemptive attack by means of a compliant media and appeals to patriotism. We’ll start early, at 7:15 p.m. Childcare will be provided. As always, there will be a concurrent children’s film and refreshments.

• Our ETHNIC DINNER OUT resumes on the last Saturday of the month, April 26th. Join us at African Harambee restaurant, 7537 N. Clark St. (at Howard), in Chicago. The menu includes fine African food—from north to south. The restaurant has been featured by Steve Dolinski on his Channel 7 Hungry Hound. There is free parking in the shopping center lot in the rear. We’ll order at 5:30 p.m. Contact Richard Curren at richard curren@yahoo.com or 773-743-7976.

• Our CREATIVE WRITERS GROUP, led by Milt Zerkin, meets as usual on the fourth Sunday of the month, April 27th, at 12:15 p.m. Come and share your short original works with us. Newcomers are welcome.

• Our next FICTION CIRCLE is on Sunday, May 4th, at 12:15 p.m. Ken Novak will lead a discussion of Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Recommended by Sue Sherman, this much-praised thriller about a Pakistani in New York after 9/11 is short-listed for the Booker Prize. Contact Ken at kennovak@gmail.com for an audio book if you’re vision-impaired.

Recent Sunday Programs

• The GIVING TREE BAND, consisting of instrumentalists Bob Salihar, Pat Burke, Todd Fink, and Eric Fink, presented a musical program, “Acoustic Folk Music for the Earth and Humanity,” on February 24th. They were introduced by Katie Wokosin.

As examples of their eco-friendly ways of making music, the band demonstrated a guitar made from fallen trees or driftwood instead of from live trees. They also noted that their recording studio is fully wind-powered and that they often appear at concerts sponsored by environmental groups.

The band played a variety of songs, using banjo, ukulele, and harmonium, a cross between a harmonica and a piano. For their inspiration, they cited Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, the Grateful Dead, and bluegrass music.

• NAISY DOLAR, community activist and former Chicago aldermanic candidate, spoke March 2nd on “Women in the Immigrant Family: Earning Our Place in America.” The meeting was moderated by Renee Sullivan.

Dolar, a director and community liaison for Asian affairs for the City of Chicago’s Commission on Human Relations, spoke of how she developed her commitment to public service. She noted that as a small child she had emigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines with her parents and spoke glowingly of her grandmother, who arrived later. “I owe so much to them,” she said.

Dolar described the difficulties faced by immigrant families. “Being an immigrant is scary,” she said. As for immigration reform, she called for getting rid of the big backlog of those waiting to become citizens and for “finding pathways to citizenship” for all who are here. She pointed to “a lack of outreach and the availability of services for those who need them” in her 50th Ward.

• JESSE SHAPIRO, assistant professor of economics at the University of Chicago, spoke on March 9th. His topic was “The Economics of Media Slant and Bias.” The meeting was moderated by Anil Kashyap.

Shapiro discussed media tactics and how word choice influences perceptions. He began with three very different versions of the same event, noting how they gave “very different impressions.” He said his studies show that “consumers gravitate toward like-minded sources.” He called news writing a “deliberate pruning and culling” of events, adding, “the way news is presented can change our viewpoints.”

Shapiro said the media have two objectives: to “cater to customers” and to “cater to ideology.” Segueing into current politics, he remarked “it benefits Al Jazeera to play to Arab nationalism” because “that’s their audience,” just like “Fox plays to American patriotism.” He concluded by reminding us that political activists make strategic use of language.

• CHRIS BOEREMA presented the intergenerational program “Dave DiNaso’s Traveling World of Reptiles” on March 16th. He was introduced by Aimee Neumann.

Boerema began with the reassurance that though some of his animals do bite, he has complete control over them. He first displayed a South American iguana, whose green color serves as a camouflage. Next were a python, which, now 16 feet long, would grow to 30 feet, and a spider (which he placed on the head of one of our children!).

Boerema then introduced a pixie frog from Africa named “Prince Charming” (though no one wanted to kiss him!). He next showed two snapping turtles, a Southeast Asian lizard related to the Komodo dragon, and a giant tortoise. The last reptile we saw was a young alligator, whose bite he said is the hardest of any animal.

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Our People

• Holly James joined the Society last month. She lives in Chicago and advocates “‘Gaia-based’ ethical principles, informed skepticism, and plenty of fun, friends, and sleep.” Welcome, Holly!

• Keke Kimmel, longtime member of the Society and wife of Alan Kimmel, died on March 9th at the age of 76 after a long illness. The Society extends its heartfelt condolences to Alan, their son Rob and wife Kristin, and grandson Ben. Keke’s many, many friends will miss her warm smile and gentle, caring spirit. A memorial is planned for May.

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Sunday School Scoop

In March we learned about a couple of world religions. We’ll continue with more discussions about the topic this month. We also worked on an art piece for the Global Art Project for Peace, part of an international exchange to help promote understanding, tolerance, and peace through art. Our piece and the one we get in return will be on display in the Community Room.

For the Spring Festival on April 13th, our kids are working on a short play and our traditional musical and other performances. We hope the snow stops before then! Our gifts of small plants at the Festival should remind you of our wonderful group of kids all summer. We’ll have another Sunday School family potluck breakfast on April 20th and a popcorn sale during coffee hour on April 27th.

—Sharon Appelquist, Director

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Notices and Announcements

• Our annual Memorial Day Weekend on the beautiful, wooded grounds of Conference Point Camp on Wisconsin’s Lake Geneva is May 24–26. Members and friends are invited to relax with us at this traditional, season-ending getaway, a great chance to enjoy the outdoors and get to know each other better. The price, for two nights and six meals (Saturday lunch to Monday breakfast), is unchanged from last year—$135 for members, $170 for nonmembers. Children ages 5–16 are half price, younger ones are free.
We’ll enjoy tasty, ample cafeteria-style meals (with salad bar and seconds), comfortable rooms, and exciting indoor and outdoor activities for all ages. For information and reservations, please call Tom Hoeppner at 847-256-3622 or the office. Suggestions for adult or children’s activities are welcome—especially if you can help with them!

• Our Annual Pledge Drive has received pledges of $50,695, almost 90 percent of our goal of $57,000. If you’re one of the 35 members who haven’t yet pledged, please note that to take part in our June 1st annual membership meeting you must be a member in good standing—paid your pledge in full, have a regular payment plan, or petitioned for a hardship exemption. We urge you to act immediately, once again showing your commitment to our Ethical family. If you aren’t sure of your status—or don’t want to stay a member, please contact John Ungashick at 847-492-9459.

• The Annual Assembly of the American Ethical Union takes place April 17–20 in Austin, Texas. Our Board of Trustees has named Scott Walton, Sue Walton, Peter Less, and Paul Ozarowski as delegates and Jo-Ann Hoeppner an alternate delegate. Tom Hoeppner is a delegate from the AEU Board. We’ll hear a report from the Assembly at a Sunday meeting early next summer.

• Our Ethical Action group, sporting black and white Ethical t-shirts, once again volunteered for the WTTW pledge drive last month. On March 19th, several of us joined in the 5th Anniversary march downtown against the Iraq war.
This month we’re having a Teacher Appreciation Luncheon for the hard-working staff at Rice School in Evanston, whose students are mainly DCFS wards. We’re also putting together a team to operate a noontime soup kitchen in Evanston on June 23rd. To help with either activity, contact Marilee Cole or Shirlee Rubenstein. Meanwhile, we’ve given $100 from the Society’s Sunday collection to the Howard Area Community Center. To become Ethically active, please contact us at EA@ethicalhuman.org.

• Our Youth for Ethical Societies (YES) teenagers are dividing and repotting the plants that have been growing so abundantly around the building. They’ll be holding a plant sale at the Society on April 27th, thanks to the help of those who have donated gently used pots. The final YES-sponsored bagel sale of the year will be on April 20th.

• Our Tribute Fund is a convenient, caring way to publicly honor each other—with congratulations on a birthday, anniversary, or graduation, condolences on the loss of a loved one, wishes for recovery from an illness, or hailing a good deed. Get a Tribute form on a literature table.

• Membership in the Society is open to those who share our ethical outlook and wish to join our caring community. The next Membership Orientation is on Sunday, April 6th, at 12:15 p.m. To discuss membership, you can also contact Membership Chair Tom Hoeppner at 847-256-3622.

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Tribute Fund

• To Keke Kimmel: “A wonderful, very special person. Her bright and smiling eyes will be remembered by us always.”
— from Margie & Mel Rieff

• To my Ethical friends: “Keke was a most caring person. She left us much too soon. Thank you all for your kind wishes.” —from Alan Kimmel

About Us

The Ethical Humanist Society of Greater Chicago is a democratic fellowship and spiritual home for those who seek a rational, compassionate philosophy of life without regard to belief or nonbelief in a supreme being. We value the importance of living an ethical, responsible, and joyful life. We promote intellectual, philosophical, and artistic freedom, avoiding dogma and rigid creed. We nurture a sense of wonder about life, nature, and the universe, and are inspired by models of human achievement. Shaped by the forces of humanism, democracy, science, and religious reform, we cherish human diversity and focus on what we have in common, not on what keeps us apart.

While respectful of the faiths and traditions we may have been born to, we serve as a new religion or as an alternative to religion.

We care for and support each other, sharing our joys and sorrows. Like traditional religious communities, we celebrate births, conduct wedding ceremonies, host memorial services, and provide for the caring, ethical education of our children.

We believe in deed beyond creed and in working for a better world. We recognize the worth and dignity of every person, and strive to act so as to bring out the best in others and thereby in ourselves.

Meetings of the Ethical Humanist Society are at our home in the Greiner Center, 7574 N. Lincoln Ave., Skokie, IL 60077. Sunday meetings start at 10:30 a.m. Refreshments and a social hour follow the program. Child care is available. Everyone is welcome. If you need transportation, please call the Society office by 1 p.m. Friday. We will try to get a ride for you. The Ethical Humanist Society of Greater Chicago was founded in 1882. The Society is a member of the American Ethical Union.

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The Ethical Humanist Society of Greater Chicago, founded in 1882, is a member of the American Ethical Union.

Officers and Trustees: Scott Walton, President; Matt Cole &
Dick Carney, Vice Presidents; Paul Ozarowski, Secretary; John Ungashick, Treasurer; Yolanda Adler, Joe Burck, Lisa Crowe, Sheila Caplan Curren, David Hardesty, Oliver Pergams, Renee Sullivan

Sunday School Director: Sharon Appelquist
Office Administrator: Alison Martin
Newsletter Editor: Alan Kimmel
Ethical Officiants: Marne Glaser, Jo-Ann Hoeppner, Tom Hoeppner, Ken Novak
AEU Representative: Tom Hoeppner