Reimagining Jewish life, work, and community

As a Jewish professional working from home in 2015, Irene Lehrer Sandalow found it difficult to find like-minded people to connect with. Although co-working spaces were available throughout the Chicago area, Sandalow yearned for a place where Jewish leaders, who shared Jewish values, could gather and collaborate.

Along with several fellow Jewish leaders-and with the early support of the Jewish Council of Urban Affairs, KAHAL, Avodah, SVARA, American Jewish World Service, Orot, Worker’s Circle, and others-she launched SketchPad in 2017. JUF has also provided support, including a COVID-19 Initiative Award and a recent unrestricted grant.

Since its founding, SketchPad has grown from just over 3,000 to 10,000 square feet of space to meet the needs of the community. This enlarged space is filled with a diverse collection of organizations. Through career enrichment programming, networking events and sheer proximity, SketchPad’s members are a close community. Membership ranges from large organizations with multiple offices and open desks, to individual consultants using part-time “hot desks” and everything in between. The open air, loft type space is frequently used as an event space for meetings, discussions, fundraisers and more.

The COVID pandemic as well as the impact of October 7 inspired the organization to continue to evolve as Jewish professionals’ needs changed. “The co-working space is a platform for building a more connected and inspired Chicagoland Jewish community,” explained Dana Kresel, former Executive Director of SketchPad. “Jewish communal professionals can support one another and create more innovation by working together rather than competing with one another.”

Kresel recently left SketchPad to pursue a new opportunity at Spertus and plans to continue building upon the strong partnership between the organizations.

SketchPad’s recently unveiled 2024-26 strategic vision specifically outlines how the organization will serve as a community hub, inspire innovation, and bring together Jewish communal professionals from diverse organizations. It also details a dedicated focus on Jewish young adults.

“Young professionals want community, but they don’t necessarily go to traditional spaces like synagogues,” said Susan Morrow, SketchPad’s Past Board President and current Executive Committee Member. “We want to be a respected alternate space in the Chicago Jewish eco-system. We have also worked to become a convener of tough conversations in the community.”

“We have hosted Resetting the Table to enable our members with diverse perspectives to have respectful conversations,” Kresel added. “And with an increased desire to be in community, our warm and welcoming space has been used by a wide variety of community organizations. We thought a lot about how we can support new audiences especially in a post-October 7 world. Sketchpad is a space where you can show up in your full Jewish identity and feel welcome.”

Katie Rich was named SketchPad’s new Executive Director. Previously, Rich served as Senior Director of Institutional Advancement at Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School.

SketchPad is located at 4411 N. Ravenswood, Ste. 300. To learn more or become a member, visit sketchpadchicago.org.