2024 Jewish Federation Annual Meeting

The 124th Annual Meeting of the Jewish Federation of Chicago brought together 850 members of Chicago’s Jewish community to discuss the challenges of living in a post-October 7 reality.

Annual Meeting Chair Devra Resnick Shutan presided over the September 18 proceedings, with 680 attending at Ateres Ayela in Skokie and 170 joining virtually.

“There is no way around it; this year has been a tough one,” Shutan said. “The unspeakable cruelty of October 7, the agonizing war with Hamas, and record levels of anti-Jewish hate dominated our community’s hearts and minds–and much of JUF’s work–in 2024.

“And we did what we always do: We helped.”

During the meeting, Eric (Rickey) Rothner was presented with the 61st annual Julius Rosenwald Memorial Award-JUF’s highest honor-in recognition of his lifetime of service to the Jewish community in Chicago, in Israel, and around the world.

“If you ask Rickey what he does, his answer is simple: I work for Klal Yisrael,” said David Golder, 2022-2024 JUF Board Chair.

Rothner is “an extraordinarily successful businessman who is renowned for his generosity across Chicago’s Jewish community-a community that he has helped to build and sustain,” Golder said. “It would be impossible to name every day school, yeshiva, synagogue, agency, and person that Rickey has supported and advised, [because] the list is simply so vast that we would be here all afternoon.

“Suffice it to say that Rickey has helped countless institutions and individuals find their way to success, financially and personally. And his advocacy–both philanthropic and political–has helped to ensure that Rogers Park continues to flourish as a vibrant Jewish community,” Golder said.

The Davis, Gidwitz & Glasser Young Leadership Awards, honoring extraordinary young volunteers, were presented to young leaders Jordan Goodman and Rebecca Lederhausen Kanter.

Two exemplary young Jewish communal professionals–Alex Fuchsman, JUF Missions Director, and Samantha (Sam) Savin, JCC Chicago Youth Licensed Clinical Social Worker–were recognized with Samuel A. Goldsmith Awards.

In addition, outgoing Board Chair Golder was thanked for his sophisticated, nuanced leadership during a pivotal time, and longtime communal leader Wendy C. Abrams was welcomed as JUF/Federation’s new Board Chair.

2024 JUF Annual Campaign Chair Keith Shapiro was thanked for his determined, continuing leadership of the campaign, and Josh Herz was introduced as Chair of the 2025 Annual Campaign.

The community’s thanks also was extended to law enforcement for their help during a year rife with protests which too often devolved into displays of antisemitism.

“At a time when antisemitism is at record levels, the partnership and cooperation we have had from every level of law enforcement has been rock-solid,” Shutan said. “CPD’s [Chicago Police Department’s] efforts in particular have been pivotal to our community’s ability to participate in Jewish life safely–from Israel Solidarity gatherings to Hillel Shabbat dinners and Young Leadership Events to today’s annual meeting.”

In the annual State of the Federation address, JUF President Lonnie Nasatir recounted how this year JUF has responded to the record levels of antisemitism threatening the Jewish community’s safety–and its mental health–and how JUF is leading the fight against the normalization of anti-Jewish hate.

He also spoke about JUF’s critical support for Israel during the most intense war the Jewish State has fought since its War for Independence.

“The challenges and pain of living in a post-October 7 world are great,” Nasatir said. “But our commitment to our community is greater.

“Our community is meeting this moment in history. But we’ve got work to do-each and every one of us- together.”

In their own words: Excerpts of remarks by the 2024 honorees

“Julius Rosenwald had a vision to unite Chicago Jewry. He did not look at his brethren as German Jews or Polish Jews. He saw them as Jews in need and so he answered the call to assist and expected that from the people around him.

Rosenwald’s vision of unity has always been a guiding light for my participation in local and global charities.

I do not see people as Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, or Reconstructionist Jews.

I do not look at what is on their head or what is not on their head. When a fellow Jew has a need, I make myself available to help.

I believe that the three main words in the name–Jewish Federation of Chicago–reflect my essence . . .

My parents, Nathan and Shirley Rothner, of blessed memory, raised me and my four siblings in a wonderful Jewish home, instilled in us Jewish values, and inspired us by their dedication to traditional Judaism, the Jewish community, and the State of Israel. Their demonstration of loving ALL Jews was palpable and contagious and became my mantra.

My whole being is defined by my commitment to G-d, Torah, Community, and Israel, and I am proud to see this commitment in my parents’ grandchildren and great grandchildren…”

• Julius Rosenwald Award Honoree Rickey Rothner

“I want to thank my family-and especially the generations that came before me that paved the way and modeled what a deep commitment to the State of Israel and the Jewish people looked like.

My mom’s dad, Bob Adler, lived his tikkun olam through his everyday actions. He volunteered his time, serving on the JUF Board, standing on the runway as Operation Exodus landed at Ben Gurion Airport, and so impressively, leveraged his professional acumen to help his community. . .

My dad’s dad, Charles Goodman, was another force. With his quiet and steadfast demeanor, he moved mountains. He developed and implemented a plan to finance housing for the Ethiopian Jewish olim (immigrants) helped bring Russian refuseniks to Israel, including Natan Sharansky, and–a personal fun fact–was on a first-name basis with the flight crew that flew from New York to Israel, as he attended every Hebrew University meeting in person, many times flying there and returning back the same day.

I wish I could say that all of their hard work made my involvement in the Jewish community unnecessary, but unfortunately, there are still existential issues that face our community and Israel…”

• Davis, Gidwitz & Glasser YLD Award Honoree Jordan Goodman

“I remember vividly sitting in Detroit at the Cabinet annual retreat, in a discussion about the future of Jewish engagement. Someone shared that their community was having a hard time getting people to attend events at JCCs and synagogues, and that the community instead had focused on meeting people where they are.

This resonated with me on many levels; I was furiously taking notes and telling everyone I could about this one concept.

Within weeks, my sister and I had mapped out how we would create a space for Jewish women near us in the western suburbs to get to know one another in our own homes; and, similarly, Stacey Dembo and I had created the roadmap for gathering working moms in the Loop on their lunch break.

The urgency for all of this became even stronger after October 7, and both of these initiatives took off.

During a year that has been so hard on us all, and while getting lost in the, “What can I be doing?”–creating spaces that others have been yearning for has been truly meaningful…”

• Davis, Gidwitz & Glasser YLD Award Honoree Rebecca Lederhausen Kanter

“Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined the opportunities, growth, and extraordinary experiences that would await me during my tenure. JUF is not just where I go to work. It has shaped who I am, and what I stand for.

Serving as Missions Director, my current role, is in my opinion the best job in the world. I feel immense pride seeing our community’s generosity abroad and making connections with Jewish communities around the globe.

Following October 7, this work has taken on meaning I never could have anticipated. To be able to see what remains of the kibbutzim that were attacked, and to hear directly from family with loved ones still in captivity, has been a privilege I do not take lightly.

I have also been honored to serve as a co-chair of the JUF Employee Resource Group focused on mental health. Good or bad, everyone has mental health. This has come into razor sharp focus following the pandemic and it has been wonderful to collaborate with agency partners to bring awareness to these pressing issues…”

• Samuel Goldsmith Award Honoree Alex Fuchsman

“Reflecting on my journey to JCC Chicago, the word that comes to mind is ” b’sheret ,” or “meant to be.”

Before my role here, I was a school social worker, first-time mom during the height of COVID, and I signed up for a virtual jNew Moms support group with JCC. During one session, I shared my burnout from social work and questioned whether to continue working or stay home with my daughter.

The group facilitator asked, “Are you burnt out on social work or just burnt out on your current job?”

. . . [but] when I told [her] during that JNew Mom’s session that I couldn’t imagine a job that would inspire me, I never imagined being a social worker at JCC Chicago.

I never imagined being interviewed as an expert on national radio to discuss the teen mental health crisis.

I never imagined starting a Teen Mental Health Committee and helping them launch a webpage dedicated to teen mental health.

I never imagined coming full circle and facilitating my own JNew Moms support groups.

And I never imagined a job that would inspire me to align my Jewish identity with my passion for mental health awareness.

It’s b’sheret …”

• Samuel Goldsmith Award Honoree Sam Savin

From the 2024 State of the Federation address

“October 7 is still a raw wound, and the pain cuts deep. The magnitude of the loss is unbearable.

Even when the war is over, none of us will ever be quite the same.

We were absolutely gutted by the news that six young hostages, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, had been found murdered by Hamas.

There isn’t a person here who doesn’t know about Hersh, the 23-year-old American Israeli whose parents grew up in our Chicago community, and whose grandmas, aunt, and extended family live here still.

Hersh’s name and face have etched a permanent, and now painful, place in our hearts.

He was our son, our grandson, our brother, our friend.

He personified the hope and promise of the Israeli people, and all that was at stake in the war with Hamas.

And his parents, Jon and Rachel, personified the Jewish people’s anguish and resilience as they traversed the globe to elevate Hersh’s plight–and the plight of all the hostages–and campaign for their release.

Rachel became renowned across the globe as an articulate and tireless public advocate for the hostages.

She spoke before the Pope and the UN, at the March for Israel in Washington, D.C. and the Democratic National Convention here in Chicago.

I had the privilege of meeting with Rachel during some of JUF’s many solidarity missions to Israel this year. Her eloquence and courage were utterly humbling.

For 11 months, Rachel spoke out on the world stage and embodied the humanity of the Jewish people.

Now she grieves on the world stage and embodies our agony.

Echoing our matriarch, Rachel Imeinu, Rachel is weeping for her child.

And we weep with her.

We weep for Hersh and all the 1,200 terror victims and 700 soldiers lost over this last cruel year.

We weep for the remaining 101 hostages still held by terrorists.

We weep for the collective trauma and grief that is palpable across our aching homeland.

But then we must dry our tears because there is work to be done.

In the first months of Operation Swords of Iron, JUF helped our Israeli partners on the ground provide immediate emergency assistance. Now we are working to meet the nation’s profound, long-term mental health needs and repair the damage to its economy.

Thankfully, we are not starting from scratch: We are building on the foundation of our federation system, which has JUF at its heart.

In my five years at JUF’s helm, I have been awed by the power of the amazing infrastructure we have all built together. In times of crisis, there’s just no substitute for having the people and programs already in place to help.

Our partners in Israel have been providing human services throughout Israel’s entire history, and they are always ready to mobilize in times of crisis.

As soon as news of the war broke, the first thing JUF did was to advance $5.5 million to those partners, who had already begun delivering emergency aid to Israelis on October 7.

They swiftly and effectively scaled up services, first fueled by the combined support of our JUF Annual Campaign, which reliably allocates well over $30 million to Israel each and every year.

And then-because Chicago is a community that always, always steps up–we opened an Israel Emergency Fund and raised an additional $55.4 million!

That’s the power of our community. That’s the power of a federation!

Because even as we rushed emergency aid to Israel–even as we responded to record levels of antisemitism–JUF continued to care for everyday needs in our community without pause.

That includes everything from feeding the hungry to nourishing those who hunger for Jewish connection…

The challenges and pain of living in a post-October 7 world are great-but our commitment to our community is greater.

Our love for one another is greater.

Our unity is greater.”

• JUF/Federation President Lonnie Nasatir