Jewish Chicago to gather Sept. 11 for 125th Jewish Federation Annual Meeting

In a year of immense challenges for the Jewish people, the Chicago Jewish community will gather for the Jewish Federation of Chicago’s 125th Annual Meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 11, at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk.

Chaired by Deborah Schrayer Karmin, the event will reflect on the extraordinary accomplishments of the last year, and honor those who made them possible.

Some highlights:

*Donna W. Kahan-a dedicated JUF professional and lay leader-will receive the 62nd annual Julius Rosenwald Memorial Award, the Federation’s highest honor. The award, named for the business icon and philanthropist, recognizes a lifetime of dedication to Chicago’s Jewish community. 

After discovering JUF in the1960s, Kahan spent 15 years as a JUF lay leader and community activist.  She and her late husband Don were passionate about the Soviet Jewry movement and traveled to the Soviet Union to meet with Refusniks.  Long active in JUF Women’s Philanthropy, Kahan served in 1975 as President of the Women’s Board.  In 1989, Kahan joined the JUF staff in the Legacies & Endowments department and went on to grow capital and endowment giving to new heights.  Kahan has had a hand in virtually every capital project in Jewish Chicago over the last generation. She also played an integral role in the Centennial Campaign.

* In the annual State of the Federation address, President Lonnie Nasatir will address the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead in a post-October 7 reality.

* The Davis, Gidwitz & Glasser Young Leadership Award, celebrating the achievements and promise of outstanding young volunteers, will be presented to Lisa Gelles and Douglas H. London.

Gelles has built her career at startups operating at the intersection of technology and supply chain, with a focus on enterprise sales, strategy, and operations. She became active in JUF ‘s Young Leadership Division, and later joined the YLD Board. She is now active in JUF’s Young Women’s City Council. She also serves on JUF’s Israel & Overseas Commission. Nationally, Gelles is a member of JFNA’s National Young Leadership Cabinet, where she has served on the Executive Team for the past three years.

London is the Managing Director and Partner of CCS Fundraising. There, he spearheaded the creation of Pride, the firm’s first LGBTQI+ employee resource group. He is a Board Member of Family Equality, which supports LGBTQ families.  He is a member of JFNA’s National Young Leadership Cabinet, where he recently chaired the JFNA Pride Mission to Israel.  Locally, he is a member of JUF’s Community Building and Jewish Continuity Commission, Jewish Leaders Institute, and will join the JUF/JF Board of Directors this fall. 

* The Samuel A. Goldsmith Award, spotlighting exemplary young Jewish agency professionals, will go to Micah Ariel-Rohr and Tori Gruber.

As the Assistant Director of the JUF Israel Education Center, Ariel-Rohr works closely with students, teachers, parents, administrators, and other stakeholders in K-12 schools and on college campuses to address issues of campus climate and antisemitism.   Prior to JUF, he served as the Assistant Director at the University of Wisconsin Hillel Foundation and taught social studies in the Chicago Public Schools. 

The Senior Manager of Cognitive Services at CJE SeniorLife, Gruber provides strategic and hands-on leadership across all facets of Adult Day Services operations.  She also leads the development of CJE SeniorLife’s Cognitive Campus-an initiative designed to expand access to meaningful, community-based support for individuals experiencing cognitive changes and their care partners. She is a Licensed Social Worker and a Certified Dementia Practitioner.

*The community will also acknowledge 2025 JUF Annual Campaign Chair Joshua B. Herz, for his tremendous commitment and leadership.

* The Federation membership will acknowledge its outgoing members and elect the 2025-26 Board slate.

The cost to attend the Annual Meeting is $50 ($36 for senior citizens, clergy, Jewish communal professionals and students).

Registration will remain open until Sept. 5 or until the program reaches full capacity, whichever comes first. The program will be approximately two hours long and will also be available to stream virtually.

To register for the Annual Meeting, visit JUF.org/AnnualMeeting . Questions? Contact [email protected] .